


All That's Left Is The Ghost of You

by SilverTempest



Series: Hydra Verse [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Exploring Headcannon, F/M, Hydra (Marvel), Lots of twists and turns, M/M, Not sure what I'm doing exactly, Slow build into relationships, making stuff up as I go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-29
Updated: 2015-11-30
Packaged: 2018-02-06 19:00:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 56
Words: 260,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1868892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverTempest/pseuds/SilverTempest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve Rogers is a man with a haunting past. Originally America's hope for winning World War II, he failed to stop the Red Skull from destroying his homeland. Hydra came out victorious and the world has changed. After nearly seventy years of fighting alone, the battles have taken their toll and left a ghost of a man in their wake. Now Rogers must accept the fact that he can't do this alone and must make new allies as well as trust the ones he's got, to assemble a team to take down Hydra once and for all.</p>
<p>(In a nutshell, it's all the Phase One Avengers movies if Hydra won the war.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Remnant

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BreTheWriter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BreTheWriter/gifts).



Bars hadn’t changed that much over the years. There was the scent of the cigarette smoke with a hint of fruit, beer, and alcohol. There was also the stench of dirt and sweat from the patrons who’d come to wind down after the work of the day. The atmosphere was a somber one tonight as men and women sat around the room, speaking quietly to each other. It was hard to find things to celebrate now a days.

He watched the people carefully as he sipped his beer. After being in the town for a few weeks, watching the people, trying to blend in…he’s figured out the habits of some of the people in the town. He’d gotten good at watching people without having them notice him.

Blue eyes roamed over the room, glancing at the clock. If his target kept to the same schedule, he’d be there in the next ten minutes. Pulling down his baseball cap, he also pulled up the hood on his jacket fully hide the color of his blond hair. He was only there to watch tonight as his brain came up with a strategy for his next move. There was a risk with waiting, the constant knowledge that he could be discovered at any moment, but he’d come to this town with a purpose and he wasn’t leaving until he fulfilled it.

The door opened and the men he’d been waiting for entered the room causing everyone else in the room to go quiet except for the new patrons’ loud laughter. They were all shrouded in black tactical gear with a bright orange insignia on the front, ditching their helmets and face masks as they made their way to one of the corners. Patrons scrambled to grab their drinks and vacate the corner. One of the men tripped a patron, laughing when the man fell to the floor spilling his drink all over floor and patron.

The men laughed sitting down and the waitresses quietly drew lots to see who was going to be the unlucky woman to serve them. He watched carefully, trying to will his body not to react to what they were doing while he silently seethed. The one thing that never seemed to leave him was his dislike for bullies. He grit his teeth and glanced from person to person until he found his target.

Brock Rumlow looked like he hadn’t had a chance to shave in days. Dark eyes tired, but still cocky as he brushed back his sweat soaked hair and called for beer for him and his men. The staff of the bar worked quickly and efficiently to get the men what they wanted, ignoring all the other patrons until the men had what they wanted.

“Hail HYDRA,” Rumlow yelled mockingly earning a chorus from his men in return before they downed their beers. 

They cheered about something and continued to be loud and boisterous throughout the night. They drank and smoked while the bar slowly cleared out leaving the soldiers, employees, and the few brave patrons who refused to clear out.

One of the servers came over and replaced his beer. She was young and pretty with a brilliant smile despite the tension in the room. His own lips curved a bit, unable to not smile back. In this world, where smiles were rare, there was a small glimmer of the hopeful.

“On the house,” she spoke softly.

He thanked her watching her blush. The smile faded as she turned to head back to the bar. He’d never understand what women saw in him though he was certain if she knew who he was, she would think twice about trying to get his attention. Tossing back his free beer, he put money on the table to cover his tab and tip. He should get some sleep if he was going to stay awake and keep the job he took as part of his cover.

The splash of liquid and the crash of glass on the floor made him turn. On the floor was the girl who had served him the beer with a trio of Hydra agents standing over her.

“You got beer all over my uniform and glass under my boots,” the agent sneered glancing around at his comrades. 

“I think you should pick the glass out with your fingers and then lick my boots clean.”

There were several jeers and laughter as tears began to flow from the girls face. It was a simple accident, but no one cared about that. Hydra lived to make the lives of others miserable and destroy the happiness of others. He seethed as the poor girl shook in fear and the man lifted his boot to reveal the crushed glass to her face. His two friends gripped her arms to hold her up and yanked her head back causing her to cry out in pain.

Before he could think about a plan, he was stalking back to the table grabbing the neck of his empty beer bottle. It was out of his hand and crashing into the guys face before anyone could react. Cries of pain echoed through the bar as the man clawed his face, attempting to get the glass out of his skin.

There was a short pause. One heartbeat, then two. Eyes turned to the man in the baseball cap. Electricity crackled in the air as the two men who flanked the bully yanked out their batons. The white light reflected in their eyes.

He didn’t wait for them to strike. Two well-placed punches had both men doubled over on the floor. The girl looked up at him with tears still flowing down her face.

“Go, get out of here. Take everyone with you. No one else needs to get hurt tonight,” he said as he ditched his jacket and cap.

She nodded getting out a quick word of thanks before doing as he asked. He was surprised when Rumlow and the rest of his men didn’t react immediately. Instead the leader of these agents chuckled before slowly getting to his feet opening his arms in a seemingly open gesture.

“I knew it was only a matter of time before S.H.I.E.L.D. would send someone in to try and liberate this town. What I didn’t expect is that they sent you?”

The man allowed a smirk to cross his face. “No one sent me. I chose to come to this place.”

“Of course they didn’t. If anyone has an axe to grind with Hydra it would be you. After all you were the man who tried to stop Schmidt and you failed. You’ll have to tell me how it felt when you fell from the Valkyrie and spent those days floating on the ice,” Rumlow paused, his bravado growing as he spoke again. “Or how about when you found out that your precious New York City was a pile of ash? Tell me Captain America, how did it feel to lose everything?"

The group laughed at the light toned mocking while Rogers fought not to react. He’d heard it all before. The same cliché questions with the same answers. Answers that these men knew as well as their own glory stories, though the effort of getting him to admit his own failings gave them a deprived thrill. He wouldn’t dignify them with an answer or show them the anger and grief that came from his memories.

The laughter died down when there was no reaction to it, a pause of complete silence before both sides reacted. Rogers dove knocking a table to the ground to shield him from the barrage of bullets fired his way. Hissing at the pain of a bullet grazing his right arm, he turned and kicked the table hard, sending it skidding across the polished wood. The agents fell like bowling pins, unable to move out of the way as the soldier moved to duck behind the bar.

More shots rang out and a shower of broken glass cut his exposed skin while the alcohol burned and inflamed the cuts. He pushed aside the pain reaching for the lock-box behind the counter. Grateful that the box wasn’t actually locked, he yanked it open and pulled out the shot gun and ammunition inside. It couldn’t compete with their semi-automatic weapons, but he’d take a few of them down. God willing, his luck would hold out and he could get out of this with his life. The guns stopped firing abruptly and he listened as a pair of footsteps approach the bar.

“Come on out and face us with some dignity, Rogers. If you do that, we’ll shoot you cleanly before we present your corpse to Schmidt for the bounty he’s put on you. Once he’s chopped off your head as a souvenir, I’m sure he’ll send the rest of you back to S.H.I.E.L.D. They’ll bury you next to Barnes’ empty grave and the two of you can reminisce in hell.”

He saw the tip of a boot step around the counter as Rumlow gripped the counter. Steve smirked taking aim. Like hell was he going to die without giving it his all in this fight. Men had lost their lives for less and he wouldn’t give any Hydra the satisfaction of a surrender.

The shot gun had a bit more recoil than he was used to, but the bullet hit its mark as Rumlow creatively cursed and backed away from the bar.

“How’d you like my answer, Brock?” He yelled over the cursing, allowing the bitterness to seep into his voice. 

The old Steve Rogers wouldn’t have said anything or be secretly pleased by what he had just done. It just went to show just how far he’d fallen.

Taking advantage as any good soldier would, he got up taking aim at one of the closer agents and firing the shot gun before ducking back down behind the bar. He heard the man hit the ground before the firing resumed. He dodged the glass, repositioning himself to fire again when he heard the loud boom followed by an explosion. The force and flying debris caused him to fall over and try to cover his face and neck from the wood and dust in the air.

The room went eerily quiet. Steve fought not to make a sound as he moved some of the debris and gripped the shotgun. He wasn’t sure what happened, but he needed this shot to count if there was any more trouble. Taking in a few deep breaths to steel his rattled nerves from the unexpected explosion, he pushed to the feet taking aim…only to have the tip of an unusual arrow aimed at his face.

“Natasha, we can break out the champagne. Cap’s alive after all,” a smirking Clint Barton spoke up as he lowered the bow a fraction. “…And I owe Fury twenty bucks.”

There was a sickening sound of breaking bones and a muffled cry. “I told you not to take that bet.”

Natasha Romanoff stood over a very pissed off looking Rumlow. His arms were both pulled behind him and secured, but one of his shoulders was set at an odd angle, obviously dislocated. His lower lip was bloody and his nose was a little crooked...possibly broken.

Steve breathed out in relief, finally lowering the gun and setting it on the bar top. Barton lowered his bow and stepped back giving him a better look at the scene. The door looked as if it had been kicked in, hanging from the top hinge and the explosion must have been from an explosive arrow fired into the room. Agents and furniture was scattered, the walls scorched, and some of the tables were still burning.

“What are you two doing here?” he finally asked, leaning both hands on the counter as the rush of adrenaline gave into relief. His wounds stung, his bones ached, and he was so tired.

“Fury asked us to come. Rumors were beginning to surface that you were dead. Our orders were to either confirm that you were dead, or back you up. It’s nice to know we got to do the latter,” Natasha spoke up as she dragged Rumlow to his feet.

“He also said that when we found you to tell you that you’re in big trouble for going all vigilante on him. Coulson’s already has to deal with Sitwell being added to his team indefinitely for letting you out of his sight,” Barton added as he took his arrow apart and reloaded it to his specially made quiver.

Steve grit his teeth to stop himself from speaking out. He didn’t answer to Fury. Never had and never would. Stark had brought the man in on the request of the council, but Steve had never been able to fully trust the man and his motives.

“Clint,” Natasha’s voice cut through his thoughts. “Take Rumlow to the cell on the plane and sent the clean-up crew to take care of the rest of this. You should head back too Rogers and get some rest. I’ll stay and keep this place secure.”

“I’m staying,” Steve said. “I started this and I’m seeing this through to the end.”

Clint and Natasha looked at each other. Barton shrug and gripped Rumlow’s injured arm earning a hiss. Steve was surprised that he left without his usually snarky comments, but he was grateful for it. He wasn’t in the mood for it, instead favoring Natasha’s quiet mission persona.

He leap over the bar top and out into the main room, looking around at just how much damage had occurred. Most of the tables and chairs were damaged in some way, unsalvageable. Glass from light fixtures, pitchers, and beer bottles covered the floor. Broken and bloody bodies were draped in macabre fashions throughout the room…some dead while others were unconscious.

Steve felt the familiar sickness wash over him. It happened every time a battle came to an end. No matter the side, no matter what these men had been…had done…in the end all he saw was lives wasted. He grabbed one of the few intact chairs and straddled it. He rested his arm on the top of the back, hiding his face, and slowly clenching his hand into a fist.

“You need to stop that,” Natasha spoke in a stern tone.

“Stop what?” His voice was muffled by the chair and sounded a little flat to both of their ears.

“Every time you walk away from a fight, you brood and fall to pieces. There’s nothing more that you could have done and their deaths aren’t your fault.”

Blue eyes slowly peaked out from his arm.

“You could tell me that a hundred times and I don’t think I’d ever believe you. If I’d only stopped…”

“Rogers if you finish that phrase, I will slap you.”

He glared at her causing a small smile to creep across her face. “That doesn’t work on me. I was trained to be tougher than that and you know it.”

He didn’t respond to that, but he did look away giving her the opportunity she was looking for. “Look, if you need someone to tell you that every time, I’m willing to be the one to do it. If hearing it one hundred times doesn’t work, then I’ll tell you it a thousand times until it sinks into that stubborn head of yours. You don’t have to always be the tough one, there are others you can lean on…others you can learn to trust and help take away some of the burdens. We’re all in this together now, and no matter how long this war takes, I have some faith that we’ll win in the end.”

He looked at her once again. She’d turn around to face away from him and he knew she was hiding a bit herself. The thing that he’d leaned most about Natasha is that she often said what others needed to hear and while she may believe some of what she was saying, she didn’t believe it all. She was a spy who knew how to act…to play her part and she was good at it…too good. Despite him knowing all this, the twisting in his gut was beginning to fade and fatigue settled in.

They sat in silence for a little while. Natasha was checking for pulses and pulling the corpses to the floor and out of sight. Steve rested allowing the serum enhanced body to heal itself. When the S.H.I.E.L.D. team arrived, they took a quick notice of him before Natasha began to coordinate the clean-up. He decided to get out of their way and step outside.

There was a pleasant breeze blowing. Spring was dwindling down and soon the heat of the summer would set in. He leaned against the wall and watched the sun finish setting. It was peaceful and something told him that Natasha was sending the team in and out of the back door to give him the break he so desperately needed.

It was short lived as the pounding of quick erratic footsteps coming towards him. He opened his eyes to see several of the townspeople moving quickly towards him with a purpose. Some were shouting and some had makeshift weapons in their hands. Most noticeable was the elderly inn keeper holding a familiar bag in her hands…and his shield. Both were thrown down at his feet and he stepped back to avoid them.

“Everyone, calm down,” one of the larger men in the crowd stepped forward, blocking his view of the mob. Rogers didn’t know his name, but he’d worked odd jobs off and on with the man over the weeks that he’d been here. “You’ve made a bit of a mess for us, Rogers.”

“I know that. I’m sorry about the bar, but we’re trying to clean it up and we’ll send…” Steve began gesturing to the agent replacing the hinges on the door, but was cut off.

“That’s not what I meant. You drove out Hydra which means that you’ve given them an excuse to come back, with an entire platoon of soldiers. We can’t fight a platoon when we couldn’t even fight a single squad. The town will be forced to surrender everything to Hydra and there’s nothing any of us can do about that,” he paused long enough to calm down and speak in an even tone. “You need to leave now, and we don’t want you to come back. We don’t want your money or your resources. Just go.”

The crowd echoed the man’s words. Most were screaming other things and threatening him. He could feel the tense anger in the air and the shouting caught Natasha’s attention.

“What’s going on?” she said pausing when she saw the shield on the ground. He told her and she nodded in understanding. “Fine, if they don’t want us here, I’m going to go pull the team. Come on Rogers. Let’s go get you patched up.”

She didn’t wait for him to answer, didn’t see the look on his face as she went back in. He knew that the townspeople were right. Even though he had liberated them, S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn’t sent in a team to protect them from Hydra coming back. There wasn’t anything he could do even if he agreed to stay. Slowly, resolutely, he bent down and picked his bag out of the dirt throwing it over his shoulder. He stomped his foot down on the edge of his shield, the metal echoing as the vibrations forced it up catching it on his arm.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. team was exiting the bar followed by Natasha who shut the door behind her as he turned. He’d already put the neutral mask on his face, but she could see it in his eyes that he was torn up about the whole situation.

The exit out of town was a blur. The plane that they’d come in was one of the larger jets that Stark had gotten his hands on, refurbishing it to be comfortable and to have a cell for prisoners in it. A little to flashy for Steve’s taste, but today he was grateful for it. It had private bunks for the team and a private cabin for the highest ranking person on mission. It would afford him the privacy he’d need to sort through his conflicting emotions and prepare him for the inevitable showdown with Fury when they returned.

There was a soft shout from behind and the team reacted pulling out guns aiming on the poor girl who had followed them. Steve held up a hand to stop them from firing. It was the girl he had saved in the bar. She’d stopped when she saw the guns, so he walked back knowing that the team had his back if this turned bad, not that he thought it would.

“I…I just wanted to thank you properly for what you did,” she said meekly holding out a small basket. “It’s not much, but it’s more than what those cowards would do. They shouldn’t have run you off like that, I’m sorry.”

“I’m the one that’s sorry. Unfortunately, they’re right. Hydra could still come and try to retake the town. We have money and resources to help repair and rebuild, but S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn’t have the manpower to station a team here permanently to protect you.”

“You may be right,” she replied with a soft smile, “but you’ve given us time to figure out something. My family is leaving to go to one of the fortified cities and we’re trying to persuade others to come with us. We wouldn’t have been able to leave if those men were still here, so some of us are grateful for your help. Don’t let what those people said get you down. At least you’re still fighting and you’ve given some of us a reason to hope again.”

He took the basket she had been holding out the entire time. There was a soft brush of lips against his cheek before she turned and ran back towards the village. He checked the contents of the basket. It was a small meal that would probably be wasted, but the gesture was grand.

“You okay, Rogers,” Natasha asked from behind him, closer than he would have thought.

“Yeah,” he said looking up at the night sky and the stars. “Let’s go. We’ve got work to do.”


	2. Soldier On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve brooding about things he can't change, a little bit of reminiscing before arriving in New York City

He winced as the swab was dabbed against his cheek. She really shouldn’t bother with the first aid as it was wasted on him and they all knew it. The act though was familiar and almost made him feel like an ordinary human…almost.

“Stop squirming Rogers or this will take longer,” Natasha sighed frustrated by his lack of cooperation.

“It’s unnecessary,” he shot back frowning.

“Humor me. Besides the last thing you want is for there to be any glass in the wounds. The sooner I get this done, the sooner you can go see how far Clint’s gotten with Rumlow.”

He closed his eyes. Rumlow wouldn’t be an easy man to break and if he was going to talk, they weren’t going to get any answers here. They lacked resources and Steve was a little adverse to torture, even if S.H.I.E.L.D. found it to be the necessary action to take. They wouldn’t do it while Steve was around, so he’d skip the interrogation and go straight to his quarters.

He winced again earning a punch on his arm from Natasha. “I said sit still.”

“Technically, you can’t order me around,” he said slightly amused. “Also, hitting me isn’t going to get you what you want.”

“Agent Carter told me specifically to knock some sense into you when you’re being an idiot.”

That brought a genuine smirk to his face. “Of course Peggy would say that.”

It settled him down long enough that she could put the gauze over the deep cut on his cheek. The cuts would all be gone in a day or two and wouldn’t even scar.

“All right, I’m done. You can go check on Clint or you can go brood, since that’s probably what you’ll do anyway. If you need something call me.”

She started to clean up the supplies and Steve paused by the doorway. “Thanks Natasha, for everything today.”

He didn’t wait for a response, knowing she’d probably just punch him again, albeit playfully, and tell him to go. Passing by the main room he paused to grab his things, ignoring the scrutiny of the team as they watched silently. They wouldn’t say anything to him. It was a mixture of fear, awe, and for those who’d worked with him before, a knowledge that he didn’t want any of that. Steve nodded to them and they went back to doing whatever it was they were doing.

The private cabin wasn’t very big. It was an office combined with the living quarters, so the person who designed the plane had made it efficient, but comfortable. In the middle of the room was a desk with a large high backed chair. Off to the side was a sitting area with a small table, used for private meetings or dining most likely. Across from that was mostly empty space. Steve reached up for the latch bringing the bed out of the wall and securing it to the floor before throwing his things on top of it.

It took a few minutes of rummaging before he found a clean pair of sweat pants, a tank top, soap, and his shampoo. He couldn’t take a shower with the bandages on his arms and face, but he could wash up a bit before trying to get some actual sleep. After turning on the light in the bathroom, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. His face was pale and the barely visible darkening underneath his eyes were small symbols of someone who wasn’t well…or at the very least, someone who was getting little to no sleep at night. Blond hair was dusted with dirt and a streak of blood here and there. Clothes were sticking to his body from sweat also covered with evidence from the fight. At least that he was used to. It had been a lot worse during the war…

The reflection shook its head and his eyes didn’t look as he started the tap of the sink, letting the water warm a little bit while he stripped. It was a little awkward, but when he was satisfied that he was semi-clean, he dried and dressed heading back out to the main room rubbing a towel over his damp hair. He reopened his bag startling a bit when the pilot came over the loudspeaker to announce a small delay due to a storm they’d have to go around.

His bag hit the floor, contents scattering. He bit back the rising frustration. Today was just going to be one of those days. He stuffed clothes and supplies back in, stopping when his hand brushed over leather and plastic.

Both materials had been hard to come by in a world torn by war and one of the few material possessions he owned that he cherished. A few years back, Peggy had given it to him on his birthday. He never asked for anything, never felt like celebrating it anyway. She seemed so excited to give it to him though her face held a hint of hopeful sadness to it. Being a gentleman, he couldn’t refuse it and had opened the gift only to be shocked.

He opened it now, flipping through the pages filled with memories. When he looked through it, he often wondered how long it took Peggy to find all these. How many favors had she called in to put this all together. His fingers found the center page, the one that he seemed to find automatically every time.

Both photographs were black and white and had been pulled from old newsreels he was almost certain. On the left, a picture of faces long lost to time. Each of the commandos were standing around prepping for an op of some sort. They were laughing…from the looks of it at Dugan or something he said. They seemed happy, nearly carefree while taking a break from the war if only for a few hours. A hand hovered over it thoughtfully as a small curve crossed his lips. They were good men that had fought bravely for their country.

It was the picture on the right that made him pause more. He wasn’t in many pictures in the photo album, but this one photo was important to him. It was the only one he had standing next to his best friend. In his memories, he could remember the moment clearly even after all these years. Between the USO shows and the handful of newspaper pictures, he’d gotten somewhat used to reporters asking him questions. Bucky for his lack of experience handled it just as well.

When the reporter came in to shoot some of the footage of them, he’d made a quick retort towards Bucky. He’d wanted to know the exact nature of their relationship. Bucky had grinned blurting out, “my friend,” before both men lost themselves to a bit of laughter at the blatant absurdity of the tone in the question. They both knew what the reporter had been insinuating. There’d been suggestions that there was more to their relationship than friendship, something that had been morally taboo in the 30s and 40s. It was no secret that they lived together and the kind of neighborhood they’d lived in, but they’d been like brothers…best friends.

He closed his eyes and leaned back against the bed fighting the new wave of emotion that threatened to engulf him. If there was one person he’d missed more than anyone else, it was Bucky. They’d never found him, hadn’t been allowed back into the area once Russia made an agreement with Schmidt. It had been too dangerous and many assumed that his body had been swept away by the river in that ravine. There had been a funeral and Bucky had been declared killed in action, but there was no grave. Steve hadn’t felt right burying an empty box. It didn’t bring him closure. Instead, after the founding of S.H.I.E.L.D., Peggy had inducted Bucky as an honorary member so that his name could go on the Wall of Valor…their memorial for agents lost in the line of duty.

It had been Bucky’s death that changed everything for him. He’d always been ready to go up against Schmidt and Hydra, but after Bucky fell, something he still blamed himself for to this day, it gave him more determination. It gave him someone to avenge, not that he’d done a bang up job. Too much failure...too many deaths. That day was another memory he couldn’t forget…

_“…You wear a flag on your chest, and think you fight a battle of nations. I have seen the future Captain. There are no flags.”_

_“Not my future.”_

_He dodged an incoming bullet from Schmidt’s gun, jumping and diving for his shield. His body rolled pulling the weapon up to block the next few shots. Schmidt paused for only a moment, but it gave him time to launch the shield, smacking into the other man and sending him flying over the device that held the Tesseract._

_Steve ran forward, not wanting to give Schmidt time to recover from the blow. Catching his shield as it came back to him, he moved in…only to be kicked hard in the ribs. Schmidt laughed darkly as he fell back, his shield sliding from his hand and over towards the pilot’s chair sliding out of sight._

_“You cannot win this war Captain. I will not stop until every nation bows before this power, as they should,” Schmidt spoke as he climbed to his feet._

_“I won’t let that happen.”_

_“So arrogant and foolish, though I will admit your effort has been admirable. So admirable that I must kill you to keep you from interfering any further.”_

_“Not today.”_

They had continued to fight, shield and bullets flying. They’d tussled until Schmidt had figured something out. Something that Steve hadn’t seen until it was too late.

_Steve rolled to his feet…sprinting…dodging…grabbing…lifting his shield to protect himself from the new barrage of bullets. Schmidt was moving closer with each shot. He’d step back to give himself some distance, to give himself more time to think of a plan. He felt the glass at his heels, his back. If he could knock the gun out of Schmidt’s hand._

_Stepping to the side, he flung the shield one more time sending it flying as Schmidt shot, piercing another hole in the windshield of the plane. The cold wind blew even fiercer stinging his eyes, but he had to remain focused. He caught the smirk crossing Schmidt’s face as he dropped the gun and brought both of his hands up. Steve watched in a bit of horror as the head of Hydra caught his shield in both hands, sliding back on the metal grid about a foot from the force._

_“You are becoming predictable, Captain,” Schmidt taunted, gripping the shield tightly. “Allow me to return the favor and end this.”_

_He launched the shield back at an angle. Steve was unprepared and it hit him in the chest, the force pushing him back. The sound of breaking glass echoed in his ear and his body began to fall back further, through the wall. He twisted grabbing the ledge of the plane with one hand, gripping the shield with the other as glass rained down on him._

_The wind was fierce, cold, harsh, blowing him about as if he was a leaf. He could see the water and ice below the clouds and struggled to get the shield on his arm to have access to his other hand. It was difficult, but he was able to swing twisting his body around and grip the ledge with both hands. Using his strength he tried to pull himself up, only to see Schmidt standing above him gun aimed at his face._

_“Goodbye, Captain Rogers…”_

He’d had to let go to avoid getting shot. His body plunged into the icy water of the Northern Atlantic. When he surfaced the Valkyrie was almost completely out of sight. He’d been able to find ice big enough and thick enough to remain afloat with his body on top of it. There was nothing he could do was the last coherent thing he remembered before waking up to a new and changed world.

The world wasn’t completely how Schmidt had predicted, but it was close enough. Many of the nations were still distinctly divided as individual countries with distinct cultures that would never completely stamped out. Most had been unified under Hydra through military force with Schmidt. The United States was one of the few semi-independent countries, having taken the brunt of Schmidt’s wrath for all of Captain America’s interference. He had been able to bomb most of the eastern coast from New York City to northern Florida. While the coast burned, he was unaware…unconscious and half frozen.

When Stark and Peggy had found him, he was half frozen, but alive. He spent a few days in a makeshift hospital in England. They’d waited to tell him, thinking it best and it probably was. He’d been a little depressed for a few weeks. Peggy was the one to snap him out of it. She’d been the one to remind him of what he had been fighting for and why he needed to keep fighting.

_“Not again. You have to eat to get your strength back.”_

_He’d glanced over at the tray of food the nurse had brought a half hour before. Since he’d woken…no since they’d told him New York was nothing left but ashes, he hadn’t been able to eat very much. His stomach would churn at the thought of food. There was a small part of him that, the conscience in the back of his brain, that told him he didn’t deserve to eat when thousands had lost their lives._

_The tray was pushed closer and Peggy sat down next to it. Before he could protest, the spoon was pressed against his lips and the flash of stubborn eyes forced him to give in and open his mouth. The soup was still warm and once he got a taste his stomach seemed to settle wanting more._

_“This isn’t your fault.”_

_He turned away, unable to face her. “You know that’s not true.”_

_“I’ve read the report. There was nothing you could have done.”_

_He huffed. “I could have let Schmidt kill me. At least that would have been the nobler thing to do. It was better than falling, running from a fight.”_

_She pursed her lips at his words. “You made the choice to survive and to be honest, we are better off for it.”_

_Blue eyes glanced at her skeptically and she continued. “If you had died, Steve, we wouldn’t have a fighting chance. Schmidt is physically too strong for any one man, but you have the strength to defeat him. After everything you accomplished in the war, the men look to you for their strength. We need you more than you’ll ever know.”_

_The room fell quiet and Peggy kept pressing the spoon to his lips. After a few minutes, he turned and looked at her._

_“I don’t know what to do anymore. First Bucky…now this…I don’t think I’m the right man for the job. Erskine made me promise to be a good man, even if I can’t be the perfect soldier. Since he died, I’ve tried to be both…”_

_“You’re a good man, Steve. One man cannot bare the weight of the world alone and you’re not alone. Howard and Colonel Phillips are all behind you. Your team of good men are behind you. I’m behind you. Now, stop with all this blame and get better. You still owe me a dance.”_

It took a few more days for him to fully come out of it. Peggy was there every step of the way, always encouraging him and build him up when he was down. She still did it to this day, though now that she was older, others did the lecturing for her. A strong and determined woman who had paved her own way in the world and the only one who could say that she truly knew Captain America. Steve smiled at the thought.

He glanced at the clock on the wall and realized that his trip through his memories had taken several hours. Every once in a while, it was good for him to reminisce about the good and the bad. He packed his bag up, folding the photo album in a clean shirt to protect it before securing the bag in the closet with his shield.

The basket of food was still sitting on the bed. He pulled back the cover to reveal a few cold chicken sandwiches, homemade potato salad, and grilled vegetables. There was two bottles of the beer he’d been drinking in the bar. He ate and sipped on the beer until he was done before laying down to get a small nap before they arrived back to base.

S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters was in a rebuilt and fortified New York City. The city had become the new capital of the United States after the war. Many people felt that after the tragedy that it was built up to give the people new hope and something to rally behind. It hadn’t mattered to Steve, the place would never be the same old place he knew. The city had multiple bombs dropped on it, almost destroying it in its entirety. Steve hadn’t had the opportunity to return to the city until after the rebuilding had begun, but Howard had managed to stop and look into things for him.

_“Your apartment was in rough shape. There wasn’t much that was salvageable, but I was able to find these.”_

Stark handed him a picture of his parents, a little bit of money, and two sketchbooks that he’d hidden in the floorboards. There were other items there, but they were damaged. Only what lay on the bottom had been safe and Steve was grateful for just a small bit of home.

Steve watched as Clint and Natasha escorted Rumlow to the nearest elevator. They paused to talk to Agent Phil Coulson and Agent Melinda May before stepping onto that elevator to go to interrogation. Agent Sitwell approached him with paperwork in his hand.

“Colonel Rogers, Director Fury has asked that I escort you to debrief, sir,” the agent said holding out the written orders to the older man.

Steve cringed at the Colonel. Only a handful of people referred to him by his proper military rank despite his retirement. Most still called him Captain after Stark had said Colonel America sounded strange. Still he wouldn’t take it out on the agent in front of him. He’d caused enough trouble. Taking the paperwork from Sitwell he jotted a note in the margins and signed it.

“Fury is going to have to wait for my debriefing. I’ve got other things I have to do before I sit in the room for hours talking about what happened on the op. Give him this and if you get into any trouble, come find me. I’ll take care of it.”

Sitwell took the papers back with a ‘sir,’ and let Steve pass him and leave the hanger for the streets below. It was still mostly dark out, the sun’s light barely visible on the horizon as he walked reached the parking lot. His Harley was a little dirty from sitting in the same spot for weeks. He took a moment to clean off the seat before securing everything. The last thing he saw as he sped through the gate was an angry Fury stepping off the elevator. The single visible eye widened and the man ran. Steve only chuckled a bit before speeding off into the early morning light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm not exactly happy with the way this Chapter turned out. Each chapter I'll try to give you bits of information into this new Hydra verse. With the war still going on and Hydra still a threat there's going to be major changes and the further we travel into the MCU the more changes they'll be. Just a heads up for when I really throw you all for a loop.
> 
> Also I'm going to try and update on Sundays for now. I'll let you know if that changes, but right now I have no chapter cushion really so it'll be a once a week thing with maybe the occasional double update or early update if something warrants it. Hope you guys enjoy and feel free to ask me questions or leave comments. I like that kind of stuff.
> 
> Also check out my other work that will weave it's way in this world...Interlude Party is a group of stories that won't fit into the main story line, but will still be told. The first is about the birthday Steve got his photo album. Check it out! http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	3. Of Founders, CEOs and Directors...Oh My

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve blows off a bit of work, but does return to S.H.I.E.L.D. He runs into a drunk Tony before getting dragged off by Fury. Steve gets roped into a trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out my side story for this story: Interlude Party

He didn’t return to S.H.I.E.L.D. the rest of that day, opting to go home and take care of the things he’d neglected in his absence. There were still bills to play, laundry to clean, and paperwork to sign. Steve had a steady income from both S.H.I.E.L.D. and Stark Industries. He got paid for the missions he went on for S.H.I.E.L.D. while he was a consultant and liaison between the covert agency and Stark Industries. While he didn’t do all that much for the latter, he at least was able to stop Tony and Fury from waging their own special brand of war.

Fury had called several times, the final time threatening to send men to collect men. Steve, tired of the man’s empty threats, and because none of Fury’s men could force him to do anything he didn’t want to without serious repercussions, called Deputy Director Hill. He promised to come in the morning when he was more clear headed for debrief and she agreed to smooth things over between the two men. At least the calls stopped.

When he got up the next morning, he removed the bandages to see his wounds were mostly healed. He jumped into the shower reveling in warm water and the sensation of being clean before getting dressed in black slacks and a blue button up shirt. He’d probably stop by his office and get some work done when he was done with debrief.

Tony had been texting him furiously all morning about swinging by the lab so he could share some good news personally. Knowing his eccentric godson, good news could be anything from getting laid by a hot chick to completion of one of his many unfinished projects. Howard’s son was one of the most brilliant men he knew, perhaps even more so that Howard himself, but he had his quirks that often got him in trouble.

Underneath all the bravado and annoying behavior, Steve knew Tony was a good man who had just lost his way a bit, his life spiraling downwards when his parents had died in a car accident. Everyone had tolerated his semi-destructive behavior for a while, knowing there was grief behind it, but by the time they’d realized it had gone too far, Tony no longer was willing to listen.

Steve grabbed his paperwork and stuffed it into the backpack he took to work along with a few other things he knew he’d need before grabbing his keys, locking up, and heading down to his bike. The sun was visible through the dark clouds, but it wasn’t clear as it had been years ago. Everything had changed drastically over the years that Steve couldn’t help but reminisce about Brooklyn in the 1930s.

He’d gotten an apartment in the same neighborhood he and Bucky shared, but it was so much nicer, though Steve kept things fairly simple. He was always at work or away on missions, so home was just a place to lay his head. He’d been asked to take a more secure apartment within S.H.I.E.L.D. or even Stark Tower, but he had refused. He needed his own space and though many tried to persuade him otherwise, they respected the choices he made.

As he drove down the road, he thought about what else had changed. The new-New York had been rebuilt to resemble the old for the most part. With the technology and arms race, Hydra and the US had fought to find the best of the best to help push them forward. Thankfully S.H.I.E.L.D had gotten some of the greatest minds in the world out from Hydra’s rule and recruited them to build nearly indestructible walls and shields around the cities. Within the walls of the city, it was almost as if the war didn’t’ exist. Most people weren’t that naïve, but there were always a handful that wouldn’t step outside the walls and refused to believe the news. The people were pampered and many claimed that New York had the best in the world.

Steve would like to argue, but even he had to admit that the people here had it good. The food was tasteful and well made, entertainment was abundant, and industry and wealth were evident. The population had soared over the years making the city the most populated in the United States with Las Vegas and Miami fighting for second place.

Technological marvels, such as cell phones and laptop computers were created here. Steve had initially wondered where all these resources had come from when the US had to ration so much during the start of the war. Howard had explained that the need for an edge forced them to look outside of the box for new elements and using the resources they had differently. They’d gone looking for the resources they couldn’t replace, steeling them from Hydra in some cases. Steve knew all too well the necessity of it all and had to look the other way if something happened that he didn’t like. They needed to survive…needed resources to win…that didn’t mean Steve still didn’t find it wrong.

He pulled up to the S.H.I.E.L.D. gate, pulling out his badge to scan, granting him access to the parking garage. There wasn’t an inch of the building that Steve couldn’t access. Even if for some reason his badge wasn’t working, Steve could get into the building many other ways. He’d seen the blueprints when the Triskellion was being built, knew its weak points, not that he would ever admit what they were to anyone. It just made the badge swiping seem a bit ridiculous.

He parked his bike waving at Agent Coulson, Agent Romanoff, and Agent Barton who seemed to be on their way out to do something. Coulson nodded, Natasha waved back cheekily, while Barton gave him a mock two finger salute followed by two thumbs up. They had to know just how much trouble he was in with Fury, though he wasn’t worried about it himself. He stepped into the elevator to make his way to the most troublesome and only meeting for the day.

The doors of the elevator opened and Steve stepped out onto the main floor, pausing when he saw another person leaning against the wall. The man’s face was hidden by the shadows, but the way he held himself, the clothes, and the glass of alcohol in his hands made it obvious who it was waiting for him.

“Hey there, Cap. Have fun going after Rumlow and pissing off Fury in the process?”

“Tony, now’s not a good time…”

“Now’s the perfect time. I told JARVIS to wait ten minutes before telling Fury that you’re back, so that means we have a good six minutes and forty seconds before he comes to drag you down to debrief. That means, I have six minutes to show you the results of all my hard work.”

Tony threw his arm around Steve’s shoulder and began to drag him down the hall to the engineer’s lab. Steve wasn’t in the mood to argue with the other man, and if he was being honest, he really wasn’t in the mood to be chewed out by Fury right now. He didn’t need the man’s permission to anything, as far as Steve was concerned. They’d appointed him as the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D in order to keep things running smoothly in the wake of Howard Stark’s death, but as a founder, Steve didn’t directly answer to the man.

Tony’s lab in the tower was currently under construction after a mishap with something explosive, so his lab had been temporarily moved to S.H.I.E.L.D. Initially Fury thought to try to reign the man in, persuade him to work more for the organization than for the military, but after three days in the same building, he suspected Fury was secretly plotting putting Stark down. Steve doubted the man would go through with it as they needed Tony’s resources and expertise when he was willing to give it. That meant playing ball with the genius billionaire. So, Steve just let himself be dragged to the lab where he sat in the first chair he saw. Tony refilled his drink, downing it before grabbing folder off the table and tossed it into Steve’s lap.

“I’m leaving in a few weeks to give a demonstration for this one. Obie says if all goes well, we might be able to put a dent in Hydra’s forces.”

Steve flipped the folder open to reveal blue prints and images of a missile. It was project that Tony had been going on about for the last few months. The only thing that made Tony this excited was his work.

“So the Jericho is ready for mass production?”

“Isn’t that what I just said,” Tony walked back over to his makeshift bar. “I’m going to have another drink. Do you want one?”

“No, I don’t think it’s a good idea for either of us.”

Steve shut the folder and set it down on the chair next to him just in time for Tony to shove a glass into his hand.

“Come on Steve, let’s get drunk, celebrate, and have some fun for once.”

Steve pushed the drink away. “Where’s the demonstration at?”

“Rhodey n’ I are flying to Afghanistan. Apparently our troops were able to secure part of the desert so we can do a live demonstration without hurting anyone.”

Steve frowned. Afghanistan was a hot zone for non-Hydra reasons. There was a lot of contempt for the Americans coming in and driving Hydra out of the country. Rebellion and revolution were constant in that region of the world. It wouldn’t be safe for a civilian like Tony, military presence or not.”

“What does Colonel Rhodes think about all this?”

“He doesn’t like it, but Obie says it’s the best way to show what the Jericho will be capable of. I’ll be fine Steve, now come on drink up.”

Steve took the glass, slamming it down on the table with enough force that it broke. Tony jumped seeing the fire in the ex-soldier’s eyes.

“I don’t want to drink anything right now,” Steve kept his voice calm and steady despite his slightly flaring anger. He hadn’t meant to break the glass, but sometimes a show of force was what was necessary to get into Tony’s head. “…and I’m with Colonel Rhodes about this being a terrible idea. The region is unstable…unsafe for anyone right now. I know you want to show off what the Jericho is capable of…”

Tony held up a hand. “Obie’s been in contact with the General over there. They’ve personally guaranteed my safety and Rhodey’ll be with me the entire time. I know what I’m doing Steve. Trust me.”

Steve leaned back in his seat, slumping a bit in defeat. “I’ll think about it and I’m going to gather my own Intel on the situation. If I think for one second this is dangerous, you’re not going. Are we clear?”

Tony gave him a look that screamed no, but I’ll humor you and nodded. Steve handed him the folder back and stood just in time for Nick Fury to come striding through the door.

“I’m going to have a talk with the both of you about protocol, but not here and not now. Let’s go Rogers.”

Nick spun walking out the room as quickly as he came in. Steve glanced at Tony. His smirk had grown a bit wider as he mouthed ‘have fun.’ Steve walked out of the room, catching up with the director and following into step beside him. They were going to have a talk…a good long talk.

Steve had always been debriefed in Fury’s office. Initially debriefs of level 10 agents were discussions between himself, Howard, and Peggy. Now, at least for him, they were a combination of interrogations and lectures. They weren’t as efficient as the discussion, but they served their purposes. As soon as they stepped into Fury’s overly large office, Nick shut the door and both men steeled themselves for the inevitable argument.

“You know we send teams out for a reason. Why you feel the need to go on these missions alone, I’ll never understand, but I’ll be damned if you screw things up for this organization.”

“Last I checked, this organization was created to serve the people….to protect…shield them from Hydra and the things they’re not prepared for. I don’t need your permission to go on a solo op either.”

“Yes you do,” Fury insisted. “When you and Peggy Carter decided to bring in someone to replace Howard Stark in running this organization, you gave me the authority to run this organization as necessary. The protocols you broke are ones that you yourself put into place…or am I wrong?”

Steve grit his teeth choosing not to answer. He and Nick didn’t see eye to eye on a lot of things, but he couldn’t deny when the man was right. With Howard gone and Peggy retired most of the running of the organization fell into Fury’s lap. It had been done so that Steve could remain in the field where he wanted to be most. The man had proven himself in the field and in the offices…enough that Steve did respect him, even if they didn’t agree.

“That being said, I’ve gotten the report from Agent Romanoff about the situation and I have some concerns, Rogers.”

“There’s no reason for you to be concerned about me. I can take care of myself.”

“And if we’re concerned about you possibly displaying self-destructive tendencies.”

Steve paused not sure what to say. The idea was absurd. He’d never actively hurt himself. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

“You go off on your own and try to fight a group of Hydra soldiers when the odds were clearly not in your favor. Whether that was what you were going for or not, Rogers, the fact of that is what it could have looked like is the real concern. If I send up the report, that’s what the council might think and that should concern you more than a little bit.”

Blue eyes narrowed and Steve had to keep from saying anything else. He hated when Fury outmaneuvered him and made him see sense when emotions got the better of him.

“I know that you wouldn’t do that, wouldn’t even contemplate running away from a fight or creating an excuse to not fight. Agent Romanoff was concerned about you and your behavior. She thought it would be best to point it out to me and that’s why I’m saying something to you. The last thing we need is the media to start some frenzy over rumors and gossip,” Fury paused. “For the record, this is going to stay between the two of us and Agent Romanoff.”

“It’s not like you to put your neck out for someone you don’t exactly like, Nick.”

“Who said I didn’t like you? I’d like you to listen more and reign in Stark when he goes off and does something that causes more work for me. You’re actually one of the few men that I respect, but you’d make my life easier if you took some of the pressure off my shoulders.

Fury walked over to stand in front of the window. “Between Colonel Rhodes trying to get extra security for the Afghanistan trip, reports from the war front, rumors of spies, death threats, and the day to day running of this organization wears on me. The council is constantly criticizing us for our failures and the American people always ask us what our plan is to win this war. I don’t have all the answers.”

“I don’t have any answers either,” Steve spoke quietly unable to meet Fury’s eye.

“Well, at least you and I are in the same sinking ship together,” Fury said finally taking a seat at his desk. “Mission report, Rogers.”

Steve spoke about what happened from the time he got to the town through the confrontation with the townspeople. It wasn’t an easy thing to report, but he understood the necessity of it all. Sometimes fresh eyes noticed small things that he didn’t see in the moment. They needed every advantage that they could get.

“Well, besides being reckless, you did manage to temporary liberate the town. You were able to bring in Rumlow alive for us to interrogate, so all in all I’d call this mission a success,” Fury said as he signed a report with a flourish before muttering. “I can’t believe you shot him in the foot.”

“I didn’t exactly have many options.”

“Well, you’ve earned a few days off. I know you’ll work through the day to get caught up on your paper work, but take the rest of the week. I’ll call you if anything urgent comes up.

“Actually Nick, I’m going to come in. I want to look into what’s been going on in Afghanistan.”

“You’re concerned about Stark and his trip,” Fury said it as a statement and Steve nodded. “I can’t say I blame you. He’s reckless, but I doubt any of us can persuade him not to go. I’ll talk to Colonel Rhodes and get him to come talk to you. I’ll leave this decision up to you, but seeing as it’s only supposed to be a few days, I might have enough man power to let you go with them. Might being the key word there and I’m not making any promises.”

“Let’s just play this by ear. I’m not so sure he should be going to begin with, but Tony tends to listen more to Stane before me and Rhodey, especially when it is business related.”

Fury laughed. “Good luck Cap. You’ll need it for dealing with both Stane and Stark.”

Steve nodded and left the office to head down to his own. He swiped his badge before turning the door knob…only to be met with a large pile of paperwork on his desk. This was going to be a long day.

A little after lunchtime, there was a knock on the door. Steve, who was still signing reports called for the person to enter. Rhodey poked his head in.

“Director Fury said that you might want to see me.”

“Yeah, come on in and shut the door,” he signed his name on one more report before moving the paperwork off to the side. Rhodey took a seat across from him. Rhodey looked a little nervous, which was unusual. Rhodey hadn’t been star struck by him in a long time and the two of them had formed a shared bond over their military service. They often talked about projects and gave each other advice on certain things. Rhodey often suggested that he re-enlist in the army, but Steve had dedicated his time and energy to helping run S.H.I.E.L.D. Steve was impressed by the younger man’s service record and found him to be someone he could trust.

“I actually wanted to ask you a favor,” Rhodey said as he passed a folder across the desk. Steve picked it up and glanced over the contents.

“These are reports of the status in Afghanistan,” he glanced at up at the other soldier.

“Yeah, Tony is determined to go do this demonstration and I’ve talked to Director Fury and I think he wants me to persuade you to come with us.”

Steve huffed sitting back in his chair. “Sometimes I wonder what that man is thinking. Fury told me he’d think about it.”

“He didn’t say how long he’d think about it,” Rhodey pointed out. “That man is full of riddles and contradictions.”

Steve looked more carefully at the file. There were reports of activity in the region they would be heading.

“Has Tony seen this?”

“Yes and so has Obadiah, they both still want to go through with this. Both think that Tony will be safe with the military in the region, but you and I know we’re going into an active war zone. It’ll be unpredictable.”

The older soldier thought hard about the options. There was only one clear choice. He glanced over at Rhodey and the Colonel’s eyes held a bit more hope at the determination in his eyes.

“Well, I guess we should start packing for Afghanistan then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm starting to figure out what I'm doing and I'm getting more written. I'm trying to drop hints and talk about changes as I go along, but I know the last few chapters were heavy with them, but after the next chapter, it should die down a bit. I hope you enjoy and I love Kudos and comments.
> 
> Next time we will be visiting Berlin and get some idea as to what's going on with Schmidt and Hydra in this new world and then we're going into Iron Man.
> 
> Find me on tumblr at: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/ (my main tumblr)   
> http://silverciels.tumblr.com/ (my writing tumblr)


	4. The Jewel that is Berlin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The world has changed the most since the war, but no city has changed more than Berlin. As the Capital of the new world, it has become a jewel and a cage...and Johann Schmidt plans on keeping it that way.
> 
> (Basically we're getting a glimpse of Schmidt and Hydra in this new world of ours)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay. This was written and supposed to be up on Sunday, but I've been dealing with some stuff. This chapter is sooo short. It's the shortest one so far, but I wanted to write a little Schmidt with Zola so tada!

Berlin was not always like this. There was a time when the city was dirty and falling to ruin after the wars. The people felt weak and helpless. The country was poor and its citizens had much to fear. Most lived quiet lives, though the talk of a second war was on the rise. It took Adolf Hitler to begin the revolution that would lead to World War II, but it was Johann Schmidt who would restore Berlin and all of Germany to former glory.

Berlin was the capital of this new world he had created with buildings that towered into the skies. The lighting was a majestic and vibrant blue as Hydra scientists had figured out a way to harness the Tesseract to be able to power the city. Gold and silver decorated the buildings and the streets. Everything was made of the finest metals, materials, and were created by truly masterful craftsmen.

Jobs were abundant and most people were fairly well off, some of them extremely wealthy due to their support of Hydra. The military was the strongest and most sought after position for the prestige it afforded many, though there was always a need for the skills of scientists, builders, teachers, and other minor jobs. Education was of the highest priority and the children were encouraged to compete, to go above and beyond their limits for the greater good of the nation. Most of the population would say they were happy, however it would be only to cover the growing fears that rested within them.

The city, in all the splendid grandness, was more or less a cage to its inhabitants. A pretty, grandiose, and large cage, but those who lived there knew how ugly it could be. Schmidt was truly a god to them, their leader and Fuhrer, or that was how they were taught to view him. He was untouchable and his rank unobtainable. No one would dare defy him and anyone with any good sense would scatter if anyone dared to speak his name in any capacity. Hydra agents were everywhere and the walls definitely had eyes and ears. Those bold enough to try and defy him or speak against him were cut down fairly efficiently. Most who found themselves caught prayed for a quick death if they were ever caught, but it was a mercy granted to very few.

It was rare for anyone to catch a glimpse of the infamous Red Skull. He only graced his citizens with his physical presence once a year to speak of Hydra’s (and his own) greatness on the anniversary of the Valkyrie’s flight over the United States. It was the glory of Germany, the path of destruction left in the wake of Hydra’s might, and most of all, the fall of a great world power…and Captain America from glory. Schmidt would occasionally address his people through the television, but it too was a rare thing. It was so much easier to delegate to his generals and the leaders he’d placed over each nation. The man was an enigma and many thought him insane, though there was no one who could stand against him.

Within the tallest building in the city, on the very top floor, the man stood looked out at his domain. In his hand, a glass of the finest wine. The floor to ceiling windows gave him a perfect look over the city. Things were going well, very well, even with the minor setbacks. His eyes bore out over the city watching the sunlight bathe the rooftops with the fading light. Another day was coming to an end and the war raged on.

His thoughts were interrupted by a melodic sound through the apartment speakers. The screen built into the wall flashed with an update from the battle front and the man allowed a frown to cross his face.

“Report Arnim,” he spoke clear and concisely into the air. His tone constituted he was in a very good mood.

“Well sir, it seems that one of our strike teams went up against the Captain,” Dr. Zola’s voice came from the console. “It seems that he and his team managed to kill most of the team and took hostages, among them the team leader, Brock Rumlow. It seems as though they were able to liberate the town where we get many of our natural resources.”

Schmidt sneered. His men were plenty and most were worthless and weak. Their failure ended in their death. As for the hostages, they mattered very little. He wouldn’t negotiate for pawns. Let them die in their prison cells. They were trained not to give out any information even under torture and they were instructed on detailed, efficient ways to end their own lives if the pressure became too much for them to bare.

“Then we will have to retake it. Send multiple teams and instruct them to be more cautious. I will not tolerate another failure, especially at the hands of the good Captain.”

“It shall be done, sir,” the man answered. “I do have another bit of news that may work to our advantage. It seems we have another ally within the higher ranks of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

“Oh,” Schmidt paused, genuinely interested. “For your sake, I do hope it is reliable. I would hate to have a reason to destroy the panel that houses your consciousness.”

“I live to serve you, sir. There is no way I will fail you again. The information I have been provided is proving to be very accurate. I believe you will be pleased.”

Schmidt glanced at the screen that had the digital image of Arnim Zola’s face. After all these years, the good doctor’s body had rotted away, however Schmidt was still in need of the man’s genius and ingenuity. Zola had led many projects both as a man and as part of a machine, many of them propelling Hydra and the world into the modern age. The fact that he had boldly worked on a way to preserve his consciousness in technology was a fascinating feat. The man continued to upgrade the equipment housing his mind as technology improved. The lack of a body made him more efficient and the creation of internet and other device allowed Hydra’s head scientist to be far reaching and very informed on Hydra’s front as well as the enemies.

“It seems that Tony Stark is planning on heading to Afghanistan to demonstrate a new weapon…a missile. He is accompanied by Colonel Rhodes and Captain Rogers. It seems that the only other support will be the troops on the American base there. I believe our informant would like us to eliminate Stark for personal gain. It seems that he is finding the man to be more trouble than he is worth.” Zola paused. “It would be beneficial for us as well. By destroying a genius of Stark’s level, we will cripple their weapons and technological development. They do not have any scientists of Stark’s caliber to replace him.”

Schmidt grew thoughtful. The scientist was correct in his assessment. They had tried to cripple the United States before by executing Howard Stark nearly 17 years before hand. It had been a temporary disadvantage for the Americans, though it had been barely noticeable. Stark Industries was held afloat in the uncertain times until the younger Stark took the helm proving to be more of a nuisance than his father had ever been. Schmidt had actually been a bit impressed by the deflection devices that created a barrier around the city. The young genius had developed them single handedly and tested them on an open battlefield, managing to destroy the platoon sent against Hydra soldiers. It repelled the mighty power of the Tesseract, something that should have been impossible, yet Tony Stark had found a way.

“What evidence have you found to support this claim?” Schmidt finally spoke up, hinting that he felt as though he had enough information to at least react to it.

“I have found airline itinerary confirming a flight to Afghanistan, sir and images of a new type of missile. Not as impressive as my own technology, however I believe Stark plans on unleashing it on the Middle East to end the conflict there and bring it under their control.”

“I believe you are correct in your assessment, doctor. The question is what would be the best way to deal with these pests. Stark and the Captain have cost us too many setbacks and as I have already said, I will not accept another defeat by their hands.’

“Sir, if I may, perhaps we could use the asset to take care of them. After all, he was successful in ending the lives of Howard and Maria Stark. We could have him out of his sleeper cell by tonight and functional by the day Stark leaves. It would be the perfect opportunity to test the new arm we replaced when he was last awake.”

Schmidt thought about it for a moment. “No, it would be a waste of time and resources to remove him from cryostasis for such a simple task. Stark must be truly arrogant to dare come into our territory and I have a more suitable way of destroying him. One that will cause him great pain and will catch the military off guard. I believe it is time that Rogers learn another lesson the difficult way.”

“You have a plan, sir?”

“The ten rings are indebted to us are they not? I believe if I provide them with the money and means to destroy Stark, they would be willing to settle their debt. Prepare a suitable ransom and contact their leader. He should be more than willing to do this for us especially if we warn him about what Stark is planning. See if your informant can provide us with more solid information, perhaps an exact location for this demonstration.”

“Of course, sir. Is there anything else you require me to do?”

“No, that will be all,” Schmidt paused. “I knew I could count on you Dr. Zola. Keep monitoring their progress and inform me when the deed is done.”

“Yes sir.”

The screen went blank and Schmidt toasted it in a mock gesture. The doctor was far more useful and loyal to him as a computer than a weak man. Ever since his major screw up, where he gave the military the location of the Hydra base in the mountains, the man had been trying to make it up to him. Zola had paid dearly for the mistake, but he had so much more to give Hydra that Schmidt spared his life and worked him twice as hard.

Fortunately, Steve Rogers was unsuccessful at stopping him from carrying out his ultimate mission. Rogers had been extremely lucky in his dealings with Hydra up until that point. Schmidt just had to be patient and let that luck run out and temporarily it did. He had been able to force the Captain off the Valkyrie, destroy the home the Captain loved so dearly, and effectively crush much of the resistance from the United States and its allies. Great Britain fell next, France surrendered, China and Russia both abandoned their allies to come to Hydra’s side if only to share in the glory. It brought a swift and rather painless end to the war, securing Schmidt’s position. The first thing he did when he got back to Germany was to march into the home of the Fuhrer and swiftly execute him to take his place as the rightful ruler.

His first setback he experienced was the news that Captain Rogers survived his fall. This news didn’t surprise him, only the fact that upon resurfacing, Rogers managed to single handedly take out one of his new mega tanks…the first line of tanks powered by the Tesseract. That image of Rogers standing on the ground with the burning tank behind him reflecting the flames in his eyes was enough that Schmidt almost shuttered. He had underestimated the strength of this man, and now that he had lost so much, he was force to be reckoned with.

Then he began to think about their previous battle. His victory had been a hollow one. There was no glory in forcing the Captain out of the plane. The man had let go, had chosen to fall than to let a bullet pierce his skull. It had never felt right, but at the time, Schmidt had more important things to focus on. Seeing Rogers like that had reawakened that hollowness within him. He was excited and though he would never admit it, even to himself, he was afraid.

Rogers was the only other person to be injected with Erskine’s serum. The soldier was the only man who could fight with him on an equal level and that made him the one person that ultimately could destroy him. As much as Schmidt would want a rematch with the other man, he knew with his grief and new found ferocity, he’d be a fool to challenge Rogers outright. Instead he waged a war against the man from a distance. From the way things were going, he knew that inevitably their paths would cross. One would destroy the other. They may even destroy each other.

Schmidt shook his head to erase the thoughts from his head. No…he would not fall. He could not afford to fall. The Tesseract was his and the power was his. The status of a God had been given to him. There was no way for him to lose. There were other plans he could put into motion, other ways to cripple Captain Rogers. He needed Rogers to be weaker than he was to defeat him and that was something Schmidt knew he could do. Rogers was sentimental. That was his biggest weakness and Schmidt’s greatest asset in dealing with him. There was always the asset...

Schmidt smirked though his mind thought better of using the asset. No, he would wear Rogers down. First he would kill Stark then maybe go after Carter and Fury. The asset would be his last resort, the final blow that would push Rogers to the edge. He laughed out loud pouring another glass of wine. Yes, Rogers would fall. He was sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...yeah. I had a little fun with Schmidt and Zola and I dropped a few little eggs here for future chapters. Anyway, I hope you enjoy! Please leave comments and Kudos. I enjoy them!
> 
> You can also find me on tumblr:  
> (Main/Marvel Tumblr): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Check out the latter for clips for this story!


	5. Trouble Thy Name is Tony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony, Steve, Rhodey go on a trip. From Vegas to Afghanistan...no one does trouble like Tony Stark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day. Chapter 4 is short, so yeah. We are now getting to Iron Man. Not gonna lie, most of the dialogue here came strait from the movie with a bit added in. We're finally on Iron Man!

There was nothing but rocks and desert as far as the eye could see. The convoy of trucks sped down the unmarked road, every soldier was alert, looking for possible attacks that could come from around any bend or behind any of the larger rocks in the vicinity. Rock music played and the clanking of ice against glass caused the young soldier to glance at the suit clad man to his right. Brown eye peered through brown lensed sunglasses glancing at all three people in the car he was with.

“I feel like you’re driving me to a court martial,” he finally spoke unable to take the silence and uneasy stares any longer. “This is crazy. What did I do? I feel like you’re going to pull over and snuff me. What, you’re not allowed to talk? Hey Forrest!”

“We can talk, sir,” the young man to his left spoke giving into the quickly fired monologue and darting questions.

“Oh, I see, so it’s personal?”

“No, you intimidate them,” the driver spoke up, eyes never leaving the road.

“Good God! You’re a woman. I honestly couldn’t’ve called that. I mean, I’d apologize, but isn’t that what we’re going for here?” The young soldier next to him smirked and the man in the front passenger seat turned around to give him a grin and a glance over. “I thought of you as a soldier first.”

“I’m an airman,” she corrected a bit sternly.

“You have, actually, excellent bone structure, there. I’m kinda…having a hard time not looking at you now. Is that weird?”

The four of them all laughed at the comment.

“Come on, it’s okay, laugh,” he chided before shouting “Hey!”

“Sir, I have a question to ask you,” the male soldier in front of him spoke up for the first time.

“Yes, please,” he replied practically cutting him off.

“Is it true you went 12 for 12 with last year’s Maxim cover models?”

He took the sunglasses from his face. “That is an excellent question. Yes and no, March and I had a scheduling conflict, but fortunately the Christmas cover was twins. Anything else?”

The man next to him raised his hand and the elder man almost rolled his eyes. “You’re kidding me with the hand up right?”

“Is it cool if I take a picture with you?”

“Yes, it’s very cool.”

The soldier pulled his camera out of the pocket of his pants, handing it to the soldier in front. Both men grinned at each other, excite for the opportunity to be in the same space as Tony Stark.

“I don’t want to see this on your Myspace page,” Tony said as he saw the soldier throw up a peace sign out of the corner of his eye. Deadly serious he continued. “Please no gang signs.”

When the man lowered his hand he looked at him. “No throw it up. I’m kidding. Yeah peace. I love peace. I’d be out of a job with peace.”

The soldier fumbled with the camera and they bantered just wanting to quickly take the photo without changing any settings. And that’s when everything literally went to hell…fiery, smoky, bloody hell…

=====================================================================================

_36 Hours Earlier….Las Vegas, Nevada: Caesar’s Palace Hotel and Casino_

Steve tried not to fidget in his suit jacket as he walked into the ballroom. This wasn’t exactly what he signed up for when he agreed to go to the demonstration. After two weeks of playing catch up and settling other affairs, he was aboard a plane heading to the western part of the country. Rhodey forgot to mention that they would be stopping in Las Vegas. Tony would be receiving an award for his work and Stane felt that Steve Rogers being in the room would boost support for Stark Industries.

When they landed and Tony had dragged him shopping for a suit insisting that he would cover the cost and that the older man had to look amazing. It was an awkward process for Steve as the sales clerk gushed over him and Tony the entire time. It took longer since they had to have the suit jacket altered a bit. At least the store did that in house, so he didn’t have to deal with going somewhere else.

Obadiah Stane quickly caught his attention, approaching and taking his hand to shake it. He tightened his grip, though he didn’t care for the other man. For appearance sake he would tolerate and put on a friendly face in public. He knew that Tony was fond of Stane and relied on him as a business partner, so it was better that way.

“Have you seen Tony?” Stane leaned in and spoke low.

“No, I heard him leave his room before I left. He’s not here?”

Stane smiled. “He’ll be here. Come with me. When Tony told me you were coming we had you placed at our table.”

Somehow, Steve doubted that. Tony was probably in the casino somewhere. He always complained about there not being enough around and how he had to leave New York if he wanted to have any real fun. No, if Steve knew the younger man, and he did, Tony would skip the award ceremony altogether. The older man was beginning to regret getting dressed up and coming down, but he would be a good man and support Tony in any way possible.

He took a seat at the table, glancing around the room at all the well-dressed strangers. This was definitely out of his comfort zone, being in a room of people who would approach him…try to talk to him. Peggy had helped him improve his public relations with others and being one of the heads of S.H.I.E.L.D. meant schmoozing with government officials, donors to their cause, and even sometimes enemies that they tried to persuade to his side. As a soldier, he’d been through more difficult tasks, but he preferred being on the battlefield than in a stuffy room wearing a monkey suit.

There was dinner and drinks and, like he thought, Tony didn’t show. By the time the show was projected Steve sat back in his chair sipping on his wine and watching the show. The recorded announcer spoke of Tony’s genius and how he was Howard’s son. It spoke of the legacy of Stark Industries, Howard’s death, and Tony’s rise as the company’s CEO under Stane’s tutelage. It was nothing that Steve hadn’t heard before. In fact, most of it was common knowledge for anyone who knew Tony or knew the history of Stark Industries.

When it came to an end, everyone in the room clapped and the sound echoed through the room. Steve watched as the spotlight came on and Rhodey stood behind the podium with an award sitting on top.

“As liaison to Stark Industries,” Rhodey said to the crowd. “I’ve had the unique privilege of serving with a real patriot. He is my friend and he is my great mentor. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present this year’s Apogee Award to Mr. Tony Stark.”

The room clapped once more as the spotlight hit the empty seat between Steve and Stane. Steve felt embarrassed as he could clearly see that several of the people in the room were looking at them and some even gestured at the fact that the seat was empty. Obadiah stood up, buttoned his suit jacket and headed up to the stage. Rhodey looked annoyed, but it was clear that he wasn’t shocked by this at all. Rhodey shook the man’s hand and handed over the award.

“Thank you, Colonel,” Stane said glancing at the award.

“Thanks for the save,” Rhodey muttered quietly, though the microphone picked it up allowing Steve to hear it clearly even if the others in the room didn’t. Stane ignored him as he stepped to the podium and Rhodey stepped back glancing over at Steve who just shook his head.

“This is beautiful. Thank you. Thank you all very much. This is wonderful,” Stane gestured to what he held in his hand before placing it on top of the podium. “Well, I’m not Tony Stark.”

The room laughed and Stane paused to grin, looking directly at Steve from where he stood. “…but if I were Tony, I would tell you how honored I feel and uh…what a joy it is to receive this very prestigious award. Tony, you know, the best thing about Tony is also the worst thing. He’s always working.”

Steve had seen enough. He was annoyed that Stane had to step in on Tony’s behalf to accept the award because the man was probably off in the casino or with some woman. Come to think about it, Happy was nowhere around either. The man shadowed Tony everywhere. Steve made his exit from the room, pulling his cell phone out to call Happy. When the man answered, Steve felt some relief.

“Where is he?”

~~~~~~~~

Steve and Rhodey walked into the casino noticing the large crowd around one of the tables. Steve didn’t know a thing about gambling and he didn’t want to, but the shout of ‘work it! Come on!’ that came from the man they were seeking followed by a round of clapping and cheering made him need to get closer. He saw Happy first, looking over Tony’s shoulder at the game while Tony cozied up to two very pretty women on each side. He seemed pretty pleased with himself.

“You are unbelievable,” Rhodey spoke up as they stepped past Happy and the man got into his face.

“Oh, no! Did they rope you into this?” Tony snarked back.

“Nobody roped me into anything, but they told me that if I presented you with an award, you would be deeply honored.”

“Of course I’d be deeply honored. It’s you and it’s great, so when do we do it?” He stopped to call for one more round at that table.

“It’s right here, so here you go,” Rhodey held the award in his face and for an instant Tony’s face was filled with shock. He clearly lost track of time, interested in other pursuits.

“For the record,” Steve spoke up. “You embarrassed us both, though Stane saved you from looking stupid, accepting the award in your honor.”

Tony either didn’t hear him or didn’t care. “There it is, that was easy,” pausing for a moment. “I’m so sorry.”

At least the sorry sounded sincere, though Tony was a good actor. Deep down, Steve knew him well enough to know he would never intentionally hurt or embarrass his close friends and those he considered family, but Tony was well known for putting other things before those people. It was a habit he had started years ago and couldn’t stop. Steve just shook his head.

“Yeah, it’s okay.”

Tony glanced at the award before handing it off to the woman to his right.

“Wow, would you look at that. That’s something else. I don’t have any of those floating around,” he leaned over the table to scoop up his chips. “We’re gonna let it ride! Give me a hand, will you? Give me a little something-something.”

The woman blew onto the dice before he held his hand up to Steve. “Okay, you too.”

“Not going to happen, Tony.”

The glare Steve shot him must have been enough because he turned to Rhodey and tried to get him to do it. Rhodey tried to say ‘no’ too by pushing the hand away, but he knocked it forward and Tony let the dice go.

“There it is. Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes rolls and….”

The two dice both landed on ones. The dealer comments…something about two craps and Rhodey shrugs.

“That’s what happens,” Rhodey turned away.

“Worse things have happened,” Tony replied calling to move to another game.

Steve watched on as Rhodey and Stark bantered on, security behind them. Steve nodded to Happy who took his leave to go get their bags and take them out to the car. They would be traveling to Malibu tonight and leaving in the morning.

Rhodey took his leave, reminding Tony not to be late. They would meet up at the airport in the morning. He shook Steve’s hands, his eyes silently pleading for Steve to get them to the airport on time and Steve shrugged. Tony had kept going handing his award over to a hotel employee who was dressed up as Caesar.

“Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s. There you go.”

Steve caught up to them, silently snatching the award from the hand of the bewildered employee. Tony would thank him later for doing stuff like this. Especially after he snapped out of his 17 year funk. They made their way out to the waiting car and Steve got in first, sliding over to allow Tony in when they heard a female shot, stopping the billionaire in his tracks.

“Mr. Stark! Excuse me, Mr. Stark...Christine Everhart, _Vanity Fair_ magazine. Can I ask you a couple of questions?”

“Don’t do it, Tony!” Steve said from the car as Tony glanced at Happy.

“She’s cute,” Happy said already knowing what Tony wanted to hear.

“She’s all right?” He spun around to look, stepping away from the car. “Hi, yeah. Okay, go!”

“It’s okay?” she asked before continuing. “You’ve been called the DaVinci of Our Time, what do you say to that?”

“Absolutely ridiculous. I don’t paint.”

“And what do you say to your other nickname? The Merchant of Death?”

“That’s not bad,” he paused. “Let me guess. Berkeley?”

She smirked holding up her recorder. “Brown, actually.”

“Well Ms. Brown, it’s an imperfect world, but it’s the only one we’ve got. I guarantee you, the day weapons are no longer needed to keep the peace, I’ll start making bricks and beams for baby hospitals.”

“Rehearse that much?”

“Every night in front of the mirror before bed time.”

“I can see that,” she nodded looking skeptically at him.

“I’d like to show you first hand,” he responded.

“All I want is a serious answer.”

“Okay, here’s serious. My old man had a philosophy. Peace means having a bigger stick than the other guy.”

“That’s a great line coming from the guy selling the sticks.”

“My father helped defeat the Nazis. He worked on the Manhattan Project. A lot of people including your professors at Brown would call that being a hero.”

“And a lot of people would also call that war profiteering.”

Tony yanked off his sunglasses in agitation. “Tell me, do you plan to report on the millions we’ve saved by advancing medical technology or kept from starvation with our intelli-crops? All those breakthroughs, military funding, honey.”

Steve slid back over to the other side, sticking his head out to look at the two of them. He needed to put a stop to this before it got out to the news, but he wasn’t sure how to stop it exactly. The last thing Tony needed was to get arrested for something…again. The way things were going they were going to start a serious media fight.

“Wow,” she said half-amazed, half sad. “You ever lose an hour of sleep your whole life?”

“I’m prepared to lose a few with you.”

Steve put his face in his hands. This was going to be a disaster, he just knew it. Of course, Tony was going to flirt with the reporter even after she just insulted him. She was pretty and if Tony had his way, which he did most of the time, she would be in the car with them heading back to Malibu. She smiled and Steve knew she was hooked.

~~~~~~~~

_The next morning: Malibu, California: Stark Oceanside Mansion_

Steve was already awake in the living room when Jarvis woke up the house at 7:00AM, announcing the weather and surf conditions. The shades on the windows lightened to clear letting in the natural light of the outside of the world to each room and the artificial lights were turned off in the bedrooms and main rooms. Tony was awake too, having barricaded himself down in his lab, refusing to come out as he worked on something. They were supposed to be at the airport almost an hour ago, but the genius was being a brat this morning.

The reported from the night before stepped out into the living room a few minutes later wearing Tony’s shirt from the night before over her underwear. She didn’t seem to notice Steve as she glanced around and the gentleman in him forced him to avert his eyes and focus on the book in his hands. Tony had expertly coerced her into the car, and his bed it seemed, keeping her occupied and away from Steve the entire car ride while the man silently ignored them in return. Tony usually had the decency to not do these kinds of things while he was there, but at least he had kept the woman from asking him questions that he wouldn’t have answered anyway.

She called for Tony, stepping up to one of the control panels in the house. She bit her thumbnail before reaching out to touch the knob. It flashed red and she jumped back when Jarvis spoke.

_You are not authorized to access this area._

“Jesus,” she cursed and Steve looked at her curiously, taking a bit of pity on her for getting caught in Tony’s charming web.

“That’s Jarvis,” he spoke up. “He runs the house.”

She spun around, her eyes going wide as she looked him over. He could see when recognition set into her eyes as the triumphant, excited look crossed her face.

“Colonel Steve Rogers, Captain America,” she said in a bit of awe.

“Just Steve,” he shot back, shaking his head. Why didn’t he keep his big mouth shut? Then again, she would have noticed him eventually. “I’m not in uniform or on duty, though there are days I wish I was.”

“Rumor is, you won’t do an interview with a reporter.”

“Oh, it’s not a rumor. I’ve personally said that on multiple occasions Ms. Everhart. I’m not about to go back on my word now,” he kept his tone polite and friendly, though he meant it as a warning. If she asked anything he wouldn’t answer.

“You should at least try and sit down for an interview. It would give any reporter the story of the century. I’d love to be the one who tried to persuade you.”

She fumbled on the buttons of the shirt and Steve huffed exasperatedly. It wasn’t the first time a woman had thrown herself at him or offered sex in exchange for something. He doubt it would be the last, but it didn’t make it any less frustrating.

“Let me make myself perfectly clear ma’am. I will not be giving anyone an interview in any capacity. Not now and not ever if I can help it. Quite frankly, I find it appalling that you would proposition someone in this way,” he paused when he saw her shocked expression before adding, “…and if I were ever put into a position to give an interview, I would hope that my interviewer was a respectable man or woman who wouldn’t lower their standards to earn the opportunity. I have more respect for people who are professional in every aspect of their lives.”

Someone to their left cleared their throat, causing them both to turn. Pepper stood there with what looked like Ms. Everhart’s suit in clear bags. It was obvious that she heard the entire conversation, though she remained her professionalism.

“I have your clothes here. They’ve been dry cleaned and pressed and there’s a car outside that will take you anywhere you’d like to go,” she gestured towards the door. The reported stepped forward pressing her hands together to hide her embarrassment and nervousness.

“You must be the famous Pepper Potts.”

“Indeed, I am,” Pepper said calmly rocking on her feet before staring the other woman in the face. The reporter took the clothes from her.

“After all these years, Tony still has you picking up the dry cleaning.”

Pepper smiled unfazed. “I do anything and everything Mr. Stark requires, including, occasionally, taking out the trash. Will that be all?”

When she didn’t get the reaction she wanted from either person in the room. Ms. Everhart decided to bow out gracefully and carry her clothes into another room to get changed. Steve glanced over at Pepper as her smile slowly faded and the reality of the situation set in.

“You don’t have to keep putting up with this, you know,” Steve spoke up. “It’s only a matter of time before you’re going to have to say enough and walk away. Why do you put up with the way Tony treats you?”

“Why do you put up with Tony’s antics?” She asked back without missing a beat.

“I promised Howard that if something happened to him, I would look after Tony and I remember the man he used to be before…” he gestured to nothing in the air, unable to say what he wanted out loud. “I still believe he can be that man again. It’s just going to take some time.”

She smiled at that. “He’s not really all that different. His priorities are a little messed up, but he’s still a good man. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have so many people care about him. Especially you.”

Steve knew Pepper was one of those people who cared deeply for Tony. He would even venture to say that she loved Tony, though it was more than what Tony deserved at the moment. Though he still had his hope, who knew how long it would take Tony to get back on track and focus on his priorities. Either he would snap out of it on his own, which was highly doubtful, or something major would have to happen to shift his view like death and loss did.

“I still don’t approve of him bringing home women for one night stands,” Steve muttered.

“Tony is Tony. Things will work themselves out for him eventually,” she walked back over to where two other dry clean bags were draped neatly over a chair. “Tony had your suit cleaned last night as well. The other is the suit he wanted to wear to the demonstration.”

“Which we should have already been on the way to and I’m wearing my gear, not a suit, but I’ll take it with just in case. Though I doubt I need it,” Steve muttered. “He won’t listen to me, complaining that I almost ruined his night by being a ‘party pooper.’ Maybe you can get him to get him to listen to you.”

“That’s what I do best,” she said as she grabbed a folder and made her way over to the stairs that led to the lab. “Oh, and before I forget, thank you for the flowers. They were lovely.”

Steve flushed. “I wasn’t sure what you would want for your birthday...so I was hoping…”

“They’re the most thoughtful and also the best present I’ve ever received. Thank you, Mr. Rogers.”

He smiled genuinely at her. “Happy Birthday, Miss Potts.”

Her cell phone rang at that exact moment and she sighed at the name on the screen. She tucked the folder under one arm as she answered it.

Loud rock music played over the speakers while Tony focused on the engine of the hot rod in front of him. She could see that he and Jarvis were conversing as she reached the bottom of the stairs and punched in her code to the lab. Jarvis turned down the music automatically as she opened the door and entered the room.

“I’m going to try again right now. I’ll keep you posted.” she spoke into the receiver before hanging up.

“Please don’t turn down my music,” Tony said absentmindedly.

“You are supposed to be halfway around the world right now.”

“How’d she take it?”

“Like a champ,” Pepper said exasperated pulling out the folder and clicked the pen in her hand.

“Why are you trying to hustle me out of here?”

“You’re flight was scheduled to leave an hour and a half ago. Steve is waiting for you upstairs.”

“That’s funny, I thought with it being my plane and all that it would just wait for me to get there.”

“Tony I need to speak to you about a couple of things before I get you out of the door.”

“I mean doesn’t it kinda defeat the whole purpose of having your own plane if it departs before you arrive,” he kept on going acting as if he didn’t hear her. Let the Stark-Potts business banter begin.

“Larry called. He’s got another buyer for the Jackson Pollock in the wings. Do you want it? Yes or no.”

“Is it a good representation of his spring period?”

“Um…no. The Springs was actually the neighborhood in East Hampton, where he lived and worked, not ‘spring’ like the season.”

“So?” Tony asked flatly.

“I think it’s a fair example…um….I think it’s incredibly overpriced.”

“I need it,” he paused getting up from his work bench. “Buy it. Store it.”

“Okay. The MIT commencement speech…”

“…is in June, please don’t harangue me about that stuff,” he cut her off.

“They’re haranguing me, so I’m gonna say yes.”

“Deflect it and absorb it. Don’t transmit it back to me.”

“I need you to sign this before you get on the plane,” she held up the folder, opening it to reveal a document.

“What are you trying to get rid of me for? What, you got plans?”

“As a matter of fact, I do.”

“I don’t like it when you have plans.”

“I’m allowed to have plans on my birthday.”

“It’s your birthday,” he said his tone a little shocked. Trust Tony to forget that sort of thing.

“Yes,” she said resigned to that fact.

“I knew that. Already?”

“Yeah, isn’t that strange. It’s the same day as last year,” she teased him knowing she’d get away with it since he was the one that didn’t remember. He took the pen from her hand and signed without any more fuss.

“Well, get yourself something nice from me.”

“I already did.”

“And?”

“Oh, it was very nice. Very tasteful. Thank you, Mr. Stark.”

“You’re welcome Miss Potts.”

He finished off his coffee, handing her the cup before he finally decided it was time to leave. With an “okay,” he grabbed his keys and went up the stairs to head for the airport.

~~~~~~~~

Two cars sped down the road, racing to get to the airport. In the sleek sports car, Steve pressed back on the dashboard as Tony navigated the twists and turns of the road. When they pulled onto the tarmac directly in front of the plane, they could see Rhodey standing at the top of the stairs looking down at them. He schooled his features as Tony and Steve stepped out of the sports car while Happy scrambled to get Tony’s suit and bags. Steve grabbed his own suit, gear, and bags before heading away from Tony and to the plane. The sooner they got off the ground the better.

“You did good,” Tony was laughing. “I thought I lost you back there.”

“You did, sir,” Happy answered. “I had to cut across Mulholland.”

“Ah, I got you. I got you.”

Steve rolled his eyes and Rhodey met his gaze sternly. They nodded in greeting as Steve stepped inside the plane. Tony was still walking towards it.

“What’s wrong with you?” He shouted down to his soon to be ex-buddy if he kept this up.

“What?”

“Three hours.”

“I got caught doing a piece for _Vanity Fair_ ,” Tony lied, but Rhodey wasn’t having it.

“For three hours. For three hours you got me standing here.”

Tony brushed past him stepping into the plane. “Waiting on you now. Let’s go. Come on.”

Happy said nothing as he carried the items in his hand onto the plane. Rhodey whipped off his hat and stepped aboard deciding it wasn’t worth it to argue right now.

“Wheel’s up! Rock and Roll!”

The flight was fairly uneventful. Steve took his meal in the cockpit, wanting to avoid Tony and Rhodey. The latter two argued and bantered. It wasn’t until they had to get changed into their gear and suit that he stumbled upon two drunk men and scantily clad stewardess dancing under dance floor lighting and around dance poles. A change of clothes and a few cross words later, the three men found themselves exiting the plane.

The soldiers saluted as Steve outranked most of them. Rhodey went to join the crowd while the other two men approached the commanding officer.

“General,” Stark said in way of greeting, shaking his hand.

“Welcome Mr. Stark. Welcome Colonel Rogers.”

“Thank you, sir.” Steve saluted before they too shook hands.

“We look forward to your weapons presentation.”

“Thanks,” Tony said as he continued to shake hands.

Tony schmoozed for a few minutes with the soldiers while Steve found it relatively easy to find an army regulation helmet to cover his head. He didn’t wear his old helmet anymore, feeling as if he didn’t need it if he wasn’t in a full active war zone. The fact that the soldiers were lining up to let him borrow one of theirs didn’t surprise him. To be fair, he took one at random making sure it fit before thanking the swooning soldier he borrowed it from. Tony teased him as the camouflage coloring clashed with the dark blue suit and the silver accents.

They piled into a convoy of cars, Steve riding with Tony to the sight. He had been given a gun to help protect the man, though he didn’t want to use it. His shield was stuck to his back, ready to be used at a moment’s notice. When they arrived a few other soldiers had already set up the demonstration and Tony was quick to get the show on the road.

“Is it better to be feared or respected?” He asked as he addressed the group. “I say, is it too much to ask for both? With that in mind, I humbly present the crown jewel of Stark Industries’ Freedom Line. It’s the first missile system to incorporate our proprietary repulsor technology. They say the best weapon is one you never have to fire. I respectfully disagree. I prefer the weapon you only have to fire once. That’s how dad did it. That’s how America does it. And it’s worked out pretty well so far. Find an excuse to let one of these off the chain and I personally guarantee you, the bag guys won’t even want to come out of their caves.”

He gestured for the engineer to start it up. The group watched as the device moved, taking aim at the mountains in the distance. The missile launched into the air and when it reached its designated height, several compact smaller missiles left the outer shell.

“For your consideration…” Stark said pausing to allow the missiles to hit their target. He lifted his arms in an open welcoming gesture that didn’t match the display behind him. “…the Jericho.”

The gust of wind and dust from the explosion tore past Tony and at the soldiers. Several hats went flying and they cringed from the force of the blast. Tony didn’t move one bit until the dust began to settle down, walking over to a cooler that held liquor. He pitched it to the soldiers, saluting peace as he took out his phone. He had a quick word with Obadiah before taking his drink over to one of the Hummers waiting for him A soldier held the door open shutting it behind them. Steve and Rhodey approached, Steve clearly unhappy with the fact that Tony had climbed into a Hummer that had no room for him.

“Hey Tony,” Rhodey spoke up for the first time in hours.

“I’m sorry this is the ‘fun-vee. The hum-drum-vee is back there, you two,” he said glancing at the vehicle to his rear.

“Nice job,” Rhodey said simply stomping off towards the other truck. Tony looked Steve in the eye behind red tinted sunglasses. “I’ll be fine, Cappy. Go protect my buddy and I’ll see you back at base.”

Steve, against his better judgment, silently left Tony to his own devices. It wasn’t until the Hummer at the very front of the convoy was blown up that the men realized their mistake.

The two soldiers in the front seat scrambled out of the car, ordering the soldier next to him to stay with him. Within moments, gunshots rang out and explosions went off. The two soldiers fell and the arsenal blew holes in the vehicle. The soldier yelled for him to stay down and stay there, stepping out and immediately being blown back, dead against the Hummer.

Tony in a panic stepped out of the Hummer, immediately turning away as another bomb exploded nearby. He reached for a gun and tried to fire it, but it was jammed, damaged in the fire fight. He threw it down, taking cover behind the vehicle glancing over. He called to Steve and Rhodey. Steve couldn’t hear him, focusing on the fight in front of him. Rhodey yelled for him to get down before another bomb exploded, causing Rhodey to take cover and Steve to be thrown back from the force.

He had no choice but to run. He took off scrambling to hide behind a large rock. He yanked his phone out of his pocket, frantically dialing when saw something land next to him with a thud. The explosion whirled, powering up. Tony didn’t have time to think as he scrambled trying to move. He made it to his feet before it exploded, blowing him backwards onto the sand. He felt the sharp, biting pain, felt the flow of blood as it seeped through the cuts in his skin and soaking his suit. It was then that his mind registered one important thing before he lost consciousness. Before it exploded, he had seen the logo on the side of the bomb…it was Stark Industries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffy...though if you've seen the movie, you know what happens for the most part. I'm really enjoying this. Steve Rogers would have been a fun person to have in the rest of the MCU, even if he is a bit angry and brodishly angsty sometimes. (Most of the time in my head cannon). Anyway, I hope you enjoy and I will be posting Chapter 5 on Sunday. Feel free to leave Kudos and comments, though I'm not doing this for that, but they do feed the happy muse.
> 
> Also check me out on tumblr:  
> (Main/Marvel Tumblr): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> I have to admit I'm mostly obsessed with Tom Hiddleston, Chris Evans, or Sebastian Stan. Fair warning!
> 
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> I do post snippets for this story up there. In fact I think I'm gonna go post one now...hint hint, wink wink.


	6. Prisoners of Value

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony wakes up to face the trouble he's in...and finds that the only thing keeping him alive is that he is of value to his captors.

He remembered the constant sensation of pain He remembered screaming until his voice was hoarse while struggling against restraining hands. He remembered faces, too many unfamiliar strange faces.

His first memory though, was a bag being ripped off his head. Hands were tied behind his back and he was sitting in a chair. A loud voice was speaking in a language he didn’t understand. The appearance of a modern video camera looked wrong in the dark meager surroundings. He could feel the sand and the blood on his skin…smell it and taste the copper in his mouth. The lights were too bright. The voice too loud, but it eventually came to an end.

They put him on a table. There was pain, so much pain. A man standing over him that he had seen before, but didn’t linger on the thought because he had more important things to worry about. Eventually they put him under. He was grateful for the relief…the respite from the pain and sensitivity. The fact that he could have a concussion was fleeting and that he shouldn’t sleep, but he didn’t care.

When he woke fully aware, he registered the cold. He was on his back looking up at the rocks of some sort of cave. He gasped, yanking the tube out of his nose so he could breathe. His mouth was dry, tasted like sandpaper and something not so good. He flexed his fingers, eye catching a tin cup on the table just out of reach. He reached knocking it over with his shoddy reflexes and he coughed before he heard the sound of humming.

He glanced up to see a man looking in a make shift mirror of some sort of pole wrapped in canvas. He dragged an old fashioned razor across his chin. Tony tried to roll over only to be stopped by a weight being pulled on his chest.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” the other man spoke.

Tony turned back to find a car battery on the table. He grabbed one of the cables sliding down realizing they went under gauze wrapped around his chest. There was a circular bump protruding underneath that he hit a few times due to his scattered wits, stopping at the pain it caused. He ripped the gauze away. His breath came in pants as he began to panic. The sight of the battery was nothing compared to the circular object embedded into his chest. He just tried to breathe and calm his racing heartbeat. This was wrong. All of it was terribly wrong. This was a dream…a nightmare that he was sure to wake up from. Who was he kidding, it felt too real to be a dream of any kind.

He wasn’t sure how long he lay there, but the smell of something like chili reached him and he sat up. The other man brought him a pair of fingerless gloves and the mirror. He slid on the gloves hoping to recover his motor skills though his fingers felt like uncooperating icicles and picked up the mirror to get a better look at the device in his chest.

“What the hell did you do to me?” He looked up at the man cooking over an open fire. He was wearing a suit with a tie. Just another thing that looked so wrong in this scenario.

“What I did?” the man chuckled. “What I did is to save your life. I removed all the shrapnel I could, but there’s a lot left, and it’s headed into your atrial septum. Here, want to see?”

He picked up a glass vial, shaking the pieces of metal before tosses it to Stark. “I have a souvenir. Take a look.”

Tony is unimpressed, stunned by the man’s playfully flippant nature. He was just too happy and he wasn’t in the mood for games. Still he held up the vial rolling it to see the tiny slivers of metal move inside.

“I’ve seen many wounds like that in my village. We call them the walking dead because it takes about a week for the barbs to reach the vital organs.”

“What is this?”

“That is an electromagnet hooked up to a car battery and it’s keeping the shrapnel from entering your heart…hm.”

Tony closed his eyes to try and focus. First thing, he was cold and what better way to hide the monstrosity in his chest than zipping up his jacket. He glanced around the room, noticing for the first time the security camera looking down on them. There was something seriously wrong with this place and the people in it. This wasn’t how he thought a secret base in the mountains would look and there was too much technology for it to be accurate in his eyes.

“That’s right. Smile,” he paused, his tone switching to a more serious one. “We met once, you know, at a technical conference in Bern.”

“I don’t remember.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” he laughed. “If I had been that drunk, I wouldn’t have been able to stand, much less give a lecture on integrated circuits.”

Tony looked around the room as he spoke trying to make sense of all of this.

“Where are we?”

The man opened his mouth to answer when there was a loud noise from the door causing them both to turn their heads towards it. The man on the other side of that door shouted something, probably in Arabic, not that Tony could understand it. The man with him stepped closer.

“Come on, stand up. Stand up,” he said quietly, harshly, gesturing before helping him to his feet. He gripped his arm. “Just do as I do. Come on, put your hands up. Now whatever they ask of you, you must refuse them. Do you hear me Stark? You cannot give them what they want.”

Tony followed blindly, unsure of what to do and a bit lightheaded and confused. The door opened and several armed men stepped into the room. The man who seemed to lead them was unarmed and held a paper in his hand. Tony’s focus was on the guns though.

“Those are my guns. How did they get my guns?”

“Do you understand me? Do as I do.”

The leader stepped in and began to speak, his tone grand as if he was speaking some great honorable tale. The only words he could make out were “Mister Tony Stark.” He nodded to the man next to Tony who began to translate even as the man continued.

“He says “Welcome, Tony Stark, the most famous mass murderer in the history of America. He is honored. He wants you to build the missile. The Jericho missile that you demonstrated for him. This one.”

The leader held out a picture to the man who showed it to Tony.

“I refuse,” Tony said trying to keep his voice even and his tone serious through all the distractions.

The shot to the face took him by surprise. The man grabbed his shirt yanking him up and yelled something about being ungrateful. Tony tried to argue, tried to say he was doing what the other man had asked of him, not that he would have done what the others wanted anyway. It wasn’t until the door clicked shut and he was being let go of that he realized the armed men and their spokesman were gone.

~~~~~~~~

The next time he was awake, there was shouting and a rush of men running into the cave. He was roughly yanked to his feet, a burlap sack thrown over his head and the car battery shoved into his arms. He was led through the twists and turns of the caves, his mind racing to remember every step he took and which way he was pulled. It wasn’t too terribly long before he was abruptly stopped and the sack removed from his head.

The sun light was bright, extremely bright for being in the cave for who knew how long. The other man that was captive with him was next to him. Right…he was the translator. Tony was shoved down the makeshift path to the makeshift tents. His company’s weapons, many of which he had designed were stacked in piles as far as he could see. Their cases bore the logo making this all too real and shocking. How had these men gotten a hold of all these weapons? The shipments were closely guarded and there were dozens of protocols and tricks for their transfers to bases. There hadn’t been a report of weapons being taken since he had become the CEO of the company.

The group walked half way down the line of tents before the spokesman-leader stopped them. He looked Stark over before speaking, glancing at the translator.

“He wants to know what you think.”

“I think you got a lot of my weapons,” Tony replied

He was extremely sure about what was coming next, but he’d wait to be sure. The man began to walk around him, gesturing to the weapons as he spoke, stopping to stare Tony in the eye.

“He says they have everything you need to build the Jericho missile. He wants you to make the list of materials.”

The man spoke up again making a gesture to the desert. The translator looking him with a serious solemn look on his face.

“He says for you to start working immediately, and when you’re done, he will set you free.”

The leader reached out his hand and Tony took it, holding it firm as he would in a usual business transaction. He would show no fear, but he wouldn’t give in and give them what they want.

“No he won’t,” he said resolutely, knowing that either way at the end of this, they would kill him.

“No he won’t,” his translator agreed as they both looked at the extremely happy face of one of their captors. At least this would give him some time. There had to be some way to get out of this, some type of plan he could come up with under the guise of make the missile.

Later that evening, he sat close to the fire. He rubbed his hand s over his body trying to keep warm, and had managed to find a hat to cover his ears. While he stared blankly at the fire, his thoughts were churning, coming up with a possible plan. The voice of his bunkmate brought him back to reality, if only for an instant.

“I’m sure they’re looking for you, Stark. But they will never find you in these mountains. Look, what you just saw, that is your legacy, Stark. Your life’s work in the hands of those murderers…Is that how you want to go out? Is this the last act of defiance of the great Tony Stark? Or are you going to do something about it?”

“Why should I do anything?” he asked, his voice soft and resigned in his own ears. “They’re going to kill me, you, either way. And if they don’t I’ll probably be dead in a week.”

“Well then, this is a very important week for you isn’t it? Hmm?”

That jolted him. If he was going to die either way, what did he have to lose? Yes, he would do this. He would take the weapons and use them against their captors. He wasn’t sure how exactly, but he would use this to his advantage. So many people called him a genius, it was time to start acting like one.

But first, he needed an upgrade on the accessory in his chest.

~~~~~~~~

Within a matter of days, their makeshift room was becoming a work room. Men were bringing in materials and Stark was barking orders at them, the man by his side translating at a rapid pace.

“If this is going to be my work station, I want it well lit. I want it well-lit. I want these up. I need welding gear. I don’t care if it’s acetylene or propane. I need a soldering station. I need helmets, I’m gonna need goggles. I would like a smelting cup. I need two sets of precision tools.”

It would take weeks to get all the materials, but he had enough to get started. He began to take apart one of the missiles and decided it was too damn quiet. He missed his music and having Jarvis to talk to.

“How many languages do you speak?” He asked hoping the man would talk. He still didn’t know his name and the one time he asked, the man had told him he hadn’t earned it yet.

“A lot,” was his response as he watched on before he added on. “Apparently not enough for this place. They speak Arabic, Urdu, Dari, Pashto, Mongolian, Farsi, Russian…”

“Who are these people?”

“They are your loyal customers, sir,” the man said with a bit of sarcasm in his voice. “They call themselves the Ten Rings.”

The men fell silent while the man stepped around him, crouching down next to him. He nudged the missile that Stark was still dismantling getting some of Tony’s attention.

“You know we might be more productive if you include me in the planning process.”

“Uh-huh,” Tony responded, still focused on the task at hand. Now if only he could...He beat on the tip -once, then twice knocking it lose. Reaching in he pulled out a piece of it, turning to set in on the table. Grabbing a pair of pliers, he yanked out a small piece of flat metal inside.

“We don’t need this,” he said as he chucked the rest of the component over his head, satisfied a bit by the crash it made.

“What is that?”

He held it up. “That’s palladium, 0.15 grams. We need at least 1.6, so why don’t you go break down the other 11?”

They worked in silence. The man unsure of what Stark was doing, but he trust that at least the man had a plan. Both of them wanted to live. They wanted to get out of here. So while Tony worked he broke down the other missiles, bringing the larger component to Stark so he could safely remove the palladium.

They worked for days and it wasn’t long until they began to mold and melt metal. The man grabbed the tools to pull the cup out of the flames.

“Careful. Careful, we only get one shot at this,” Tony said although the man knew he had everything under control.

“Relax. I have steady hands. Why do you think you’re still alive, huh?”

Tony followed him carrying the car battery. This was becoming a pain, but if this man was as good as he said, he’d have a replacement and a way out of here. The man poured the hot palladium into the circular mold and the fact that he still didn’t know his name bothered Stark.

“What do I call you?” He asked for a second time, hoping that by now, he had earned a name from his companion.

“My name is Yinsen,” the man replied as he lifted the cup back upright.

“Yinsen,” Tony let the name sink in, grateful to have it. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too.”

They were both sincere gestures. Tony for all his confidence and recklessness knew that both of their lives were at stake. No one here cared that he was famous. They couldn’t understand him for him to use his charm and charisma. Yinsen was the first person to help him, although Tony could tell that the man was not impressed with him. After all, when they had first met, Tony had been drunk and who knew what he could have said. He had an inkling of familiarity with the man, but no solid memories to go on. If they ever got out of this, he would find a way to repay him for his help.

Over the next few days, he molded and melted, bended and created. This was his world. The one thing he knew how to do and was comfortable doing. It wasn’t until he attached power and turned on the device to glow a bluish-white light that he felt like he had a chance.

Yinsen came over to awe over his marvel. “That doesn’t look like a Jericho missile.”

“That’s because it’s a miniaturized arc reactor. I got a big one powering my factory at home. It should keep the shrapnel out of my heart.”

“But what could it generate?” Yinsen sounded extremely interested.

“If my math is right, and it always is, three gigajoules per second,” he replied, not bragging for once. It was just a fact.

“That could run you heart for 50 lifetimes.”

“Yeah. Or something big for 15 minutes.”

He showed Yinsen his designs. Drawn up in a way that you had to overlap the images to see the suit. It was their ticket out and he needed the man’s help to build it. First, Yinsen helped to switch out the electromagnet for the reactor and decided to take a small break.

They played games and Yinsen taught him a bit of the language that he knew. He tried to get to know the man a bit better. He found out that he was from a small town called Gulmira and that he had a family. Of course the man asked him the same to which Tony told him flat out “No.”

“So you’re a man who has everything and nothing.”

Tony had just nodded at that. He did have Steve, though they weren’t related by blood. He had Rhodey and Pepper and Obie. He wasn’t completely alone, but the reality of the fact that he hadn’t exactly been a good person the last few years hit him. He didn’t know how long he had been away, didn’t know if they were still looking for him, but he had to get back to them. He had to get back home and that was the thought that kept him going. Maybe then, he could try to make up for the ass he’d been since his parents had died. It would be worth it in the end.

They knew they were being watched. Sometimes the men checked to see if they were working through the slot in the door. Other times they would see the blinking of the light on the camera and something told Tony that no matter what they did, there was always someone watching. It was only a matter of time before they realized that he wasn’t building the Jericho. That they were testing components of the suit.

One day, the men came in a much larger group than usual. The spokesman was there two, but it became obvious that was all he was as he cowered a bit under one of the men who passed. This man’s head was shaved and he wore a thick scarf over a camouflage jacket. His face was stern, eyes angry as he look at Yinsen. He glanced at Tony nodding a bit before speaking in English.

“Relax,” he ordered and slowly Tony and Yinsen dropped their arms from over their heads. This new leader approached, parting the folds of Tony’s shirt to poke at the reactor. “The bow and arrow once was the pinnacle of weapons technology. It allowed the great Genghis Khan to rule from the Pacific to the Ukraine.”

He stepped over towards their work, studying it as he spoke. Both men knew they had been caught, but they had agreed that if anyone asked they would still insist they were building the Jericho. He walked back over towards Tony, past him to pick up the plans on the table.

“An empire twice the size of Alexander the Great,” he continued, “and four times the size of the Roman Empire. But today, whoever holds the latest Stark weapons rules these lands.”

Tony thought about punching the man. This was not what his weapons were meant for. It was Yinsen who signaled for him to calm down, to think, so he didn’t act rashly, but if he ever got the chance…

“And soon,” the man said, glancing back at them, “it will be my turn.”

The man began to speak to Yinsen in another language. Tony couldn’t follow it, but once the men began to force Yinsen to his knees, he knew it was trouble. The leader chuckled as he turned holding a red hot coal he’d picked up with tools. The men forced Yinsen’s head down on.

“What does he want?” Tony asked not getting a response.

They began to repeat the same phrases over and over again. The only word Tony understood was Jericho. He had to do something. He took a step towards them.

“What do you want? A delivery date?”

The men yelled, guns cocked, hands reached out to make him stop and he paused holding up his hands in surrender. The true leader glanced at him curiously as the room went silent and still.

“I need him,” he said finally. “Good assistant.”

The coal was dropped an inch form Yinsen’s face. “You have till tomorrow to assemble my missile.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for chapter 6! I am trying to make these a little bit original, even if it's something as simple as Tony's reactions to stuff. Iron Man and Hulk are going to be fairly close to the original movies though. As I delve deeper into the verse, things will change drastically, I have plans. Remember I like Kudos and comments.
> 
> Find me on Tumblr  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: Got some great Comic-Con stuff up there) http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr:Getting ready to post a new little clip up there in a few) http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party: I'll be posting a new chapter up there shortly and I've been told the first one is awesome:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	7. Real Men Save Their Own Asses...and Destroy Them Too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A daring escape, a death, a rescue, and a trip home. Tony proves that he does have morals and his friends are concerned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for being a day late...I was on vacation and enjoying it so much, I almost forgot I had to be back at work today. Ah well, this was a fun one. Enjoy!

They had run out of time. It would only be a few hours before both of them would be in trouble. They could make their deadline though. Tony set Yinsen on his task as he began to mold and shape and hammer the hot metal. This was it, the last piece he needed to finish. He dunked the heated metal into cool water before he carried it over to the table dropping it in front of Yinsen. The man was silent as he looked from the obvious helmet to a serious but satisfied Stark.

Neither would sleep that night, finishing all the little details of the suit and going over their escape plan. Tony wrapped his hands in tape as Yinsen moved around behind him. He slid into the thick brown jacket with the other man’s help, trying not to think of anything but the task at hand. He wore gloves over the tape, thick material around his neck to protect against the flames and bullets where there would be gaps.

Piece by piece, he was encased in metal. Yinsen was careful to connect every piece and follow his directions. They could do this. They would get out of this together.

“Are you okay? Can you move?” Yinsen asked.

Tony nodded, flexing his hands and the joints.

“Okay, say it again,” he continued.

“41 steps straight ahead. Then 16 steps, that’s from the door, fork right, 33 steps, turn right.”

It was their way out. The path they needed to take. The path Tony had counted from behind cloth and shoving that Yinsen could only partially confirm. It was the best they had. They could hear the footsteps coming down the hall. The men must be coming to check on them, especially with Tony out of sight from the cameras. The duo didn’t want the men to know exactly what they were up to and had found a way to block it.

“Yinsen, Yinsen, Stark!” The man yelled through the latch in the door.

“Say something. Say something back to him,” Stark spoke quietly.

“He’s speaking Hungarian. I don’t…,” Yinsen responded when he recognized the language.

“Then speak Hungarian.”

“Okay. I know.”

“What do you know?”

Yinsen thought about it for a moment before shouting back. They could hear the latch on the door. Both men continued to work, unfazed by what was coming. The door opened and the bomb they had strapped on the door was triggered. Thanks to the barrier, the two men inside the room were kept out of harm’s way while the other men were blown away. They could hear the shouting and knew they’d been caught. It was only a matter of time before more men would be pouring into the room trying to stop them.

Yinsen peeked around the barrier to see their handy work, before quickly returning to Stark’s side.

“How’d that work?’

“Oh, my goodness,” the other man replied sounding a bit distressed. “It worked all right.”

“That’s what I do.”

“Let me finish this,” Yinsen added as he continued to secure the suit on Tony’s body.

“Initialize the power sequence,” Tony glanced down at him. They needed the time for the suit to power up and then the other man could finish the bolts. Yinsen seemed to understand as he replied with an “okay,” before going over to the archaic computer they’d managed to get from their captors for their work.

“Now,” Tony commanded.

“Tell me. Tell me.”

“Function 11. Tell me when you see a progress bar.”

Their tones were hurried getting a bit frantic. Both knew that they were running out of time, but they had to get it done.

“It should be up. Talk to me. Tell me when you see it.”

“Yes. I have it.”

“Press Control I.”

“I?”

“I, Enter. I and Enter”

“Got it,” Yinsen said at Tony’s impatience. He was doing the best he could under the circumstances. The progress bar began to fill.

“Come over here and button me up,” Stark commanded again and Yinsen complied swiftly. They could hear the men coming as they weren’t even trying to be quiet. They needed to cut their time. “Okay, all right. Every other hex bolt.”

“They’re coming!” Yinsen almost yelled in a frantic tone.

“Nothing pretty,” Stark continued calmly hoping to get the man back where they needed him to be. “Just get it done. Just get…it…done.”

“They’re coming,” Yinsen said again looking at the door, this time almost pleading, to what Tony didn’t know. He finished the bolts and turned back to the computer to look at the screen.

“Make sure all the check points are clear before you follow me out, okay,” Tony said wanting to make sure Yinsen stuck to the plan. Something about the man’s actions set him on edge, almost as if the older man was about to do something not according to the plan.

“We need more time,” the man murmured to the screen. Resolutely, he turned back to look at Tony. Tony could see that the progress bar was only half way done behind the man. “Hey, I’m gonna go buy you some time.”

“Stick to the plan,” Tony yelled unable to physically stop Yinsen as he stepped beyond the barrier and out of sight. He repeated the phrase again louder as he heard the man run on the gravel and then the sound of machine gun fire. “Yinsen!”

He could only look at the progress bar in horror. What had the man done? Had he picked up the gun and began to run through the paths of the cave or had he just been shot down and their enemies were here. He breathed deeply suspended in the suit. Right now he was helpless until the power had all been diverted to the suit, but when the cave fell silent and the gunfire distant, all he could do was wait and try to believe that Yinsen would be all right without his help.

The last leg of the progress bar seemed to pick up the pace and the lights in the cave went out. He was able to disengage himself from the hooks holding him up, putting on the helmet to protect his face. They would be coming. It was so quiet that he could hear the boots walking nearly silently on gravel and the murmuring of voices though he couldn’t tell how many were there. He flexed his gloved hands. Payback would definitely be a bitch for them.

One of the men stepped closer his face illuminated in the glow of his reactor. He barely got a gasp out before Tony jerked the metal arm upward sending him flying as his gun went off until he fell in the darkness.

_There’s one._ He thought allowing a grin to cross his face. The other men shot into the room illuminating the darkness with each shot. If the man Tony had just clocked hadn’t been killed, he was definitely dead now. He stepped forward swiping one man into the rock wall on the right, then doing the same to the one on the left. The last man opened fire, but he got a good upper cut in knocking the man out. His count was up to four.

He stood upright, the suit creaking in resistance. For having been put together with makeshift parts and metal, it wasn’t half bad, even if it was a bit heavy to walk in. This wasn’t time to appreciate his own genius though as others would be coming to kill him. He began to walk forward, following the sight and sounds of gunfire. It was almost as if the men were going to lead him along the trail out. Bullets ricocheted off of the metal and into sand and rock. Men five through seven went down as easily as the first four. After that, the men started to run away from him.

Victim number eight turned around to fire at him for a moment, only to find out that his comrades had shut the metal door behind him, sacrificing him to the metal man’s wrath. He banged on the closed doors and shouted, turning to plead. Tony rewarded him by knocking his head into the metal behind him. That left him with the door and the gun wielding morons beyond it. He lifted two metal covered arms and bashed them against the door. Once…twice…third time was the charm and the door fell in revealing four more to his gaze. They ran and Tony went the other way, swinging his arm towards another victim only to have the man duck and his arm lodging into the pillar. He tugged, turning his back to try and yank it free.

He heard and felt the impact of the bullet on his helmet before the grunt of the man behind him. He turned to see the man fall to the ground. Number nine had practically shot himself in the head through ricochet. Tony almost shook his head at the stupidity, but instead freed his arm and continued onward, out to where he could see the daylight. Rounding the bend, he saw the opening, heard the coughing.

His eyes found Yinsen, bloody and wheezing on the pile of sand bags. “Yinsen!” he yelled behind the mask.

“Watch out,” Yinsen yelled weakly and that’s when Tony saw the leader. He twisted slightly out of the way as the projectile slammed into the wall beside him. He lifted his arm flicking a hatch open revealing a smaller missile he had put into the suit. Taking quick aim he manually fired the thing into the wall above the man’s head. Fire and rocks rained down effectively on top of the man giving him the out he needed to approach Yinsen.

Nothing else mattered at the moment than the man who looked like he was in pretty bad shape. He gasped for his breath, coughing. Still Tony had to try to save him. There still had to be a way. When he was at a good angle to look down at the man, he lifted the mask from his face.

“Stark,” Yinsen said weakly as if greeting him.

“Come on. We got to go,” Tony spoke gently but firmly. They could do this. They could get out of here. “Move for me. Come on, we got a plan. We’re gonna stick to it.”

Yinsen managed a weak quirk to his lips. Not a smile, but enough for Tony to feel the dread creep back in. “This was always the plan, Stark.”

Tony tried to ignore him and spoke quickly, almost desperately to get the man to get up. “Come on, you’re gonna go see your family. Get up.”

“My family is dead. I’m going to see them now, Stark,” Yinsen whispered and Tony’s world shattered again. The man had nothing left to live for anymore, he wouldn’t be getting up. “It’s okay. I want this. I want this.”

The resignation, the peace on Yinsen’s face gave Tony the strength to pull himself together. There was no way to repay this man for saving his life, not only once, but twice. All he could do was huff, try to smile even as he felt the water weld up in his eyes. He wouldn’t cry though as he said the words the man needed to hear and Tony needed to say.

“Thank you for saving me.”

“Don’t waste it. Don’t waste your life.”

Those were his last words. The dying request of a good man, a better man than Tony knew he could ever be. He would honor that request. When he got out of here…there wasn’t an ‘if’ anymore…he would strive to try and be a better man. First things first, he had to get rid of the arsenal outside and any of the other men out there. His weapons were not theirs to do with as they saw fit. They had cost the lives of good, young American soldiers and now Yinsen. It wouldn’t stand to not destroy them.

He flipped down the mask and took step after step to the mouth of the cave. With each step his resolve grew until he was staring down at least a dozen men. They shouted, opened fire, and his body jerked with each shot. It stopped and the men all looked at him for a brief moment, seeing that their bullets had no effect.

“My turn,” Tony said, lifting both arms up and out. Flames erupted from his suit causing the men to scatter and some were even caught up in it. Boxes exploded, the flames consumed everything from metal to wood to canvas as he walked down the path, setting both sides ablaze in glory. There were a few men who were brave enough to keep firing and that deterred him a bit, especially when a bullet hit a joint in his leg just right, but he would get this done. Only when he was satisfied with inferno around him and knowing it was all about to blow, did he hit the switch, using the same technology as rockets to launch him and the suit into the sky.

It was just in the nick of time too as he soared above the explosion that probably could be seen for miles. What he hadn’t counted on was for the rockets in his boots to fry, sending him from flight to a free fall to the ground below. He yelled scrambling in air knowing there was nothing he could do before he landed in the sand.

It took a few minutes for him to get his bearings back. His suit had been destroyed in the fall, though that wasn’t a big deal. That’s probably what saved his hide. His muscles were sore and his right arm was messed up. He was bleeding too, but he was alive.

Tony yanked off his helmet, shook off the remnants of the tattered suit and pulled himself out of the pit his body had made in the sand. It was hot and the sun was dry overhead. He threw his gloves and anything he didn’t need to the ground beneath him before taking off the jacket. He wrapped it around his head and got his bearings. It was only a matter of time before someone would come to investigate the explosion and those guys had any friends in the area, he’d only get caught again.

He walked for what felt like hours in the heat, but in reality it was probably like thirty to forty minutes. It was far enough away that he couldn’t see the remnants of his suit, but he wasn’t exactly sure which direction he was going in. Hopefully he could get to the top of the tall sand dune and see something or at least a clue.

As he reached the top he heard it. The familiar sound of helicopter blades chopping in the air. One flew past him and he looked up…military style…United States.

“HEY!” he yelled twice laughing and waving his hands in the air relieved when it circled back towards him, flying low as if to land. The door of the helicopter was open, a man leaning out. The chopper was still two feet in the air when the man launched himself from the platform and onto the sand below stumbling in the fall. There was one person Tony knew crazy enough to do something like that and he slid to his knees holding a peace sign in the air absentmindedly. Steve was here, he had stayed to find him.

The man ran through the traitorous sand only to sink to his own knees in front of him, strong firm hands landing on bloody, dirt smudged shoulders.

“I knew it. I knew you were still alive,” Blue eyes were filled with relief. “Never again Tony…do you hear me? We’re not doing this again ever.”

He said nothing as he lacked the strength to even move anymore. The adrenaline, the sorrow, the relief of the day was weighing down on him. He could only smile, barely nod even as he used his strength to look up and see Rhodey with four others holding their guns up at him. When they realized who it was, they lowered their weapons and Rhodey looked like he was going into shock. Steve moved over, let the other man see Tony for himself.

“How was the fun-vee?” Rhodey cracked not really knowing what else to say.

Tony couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped. Of all the things to say…well he guessed he deserved that one. Rhodey kneeled down on one knee next to Steve resting his hand on Tony’s shoulder.

“Next time, you ride with one of us, okay?”

Steve let go as Rhodey pulled Tony into a one armed hug. The two soldiers looked at each other over Tony’s free shoulder. They’d both been waiting for the nightmare to be over. The sense of relief was powerful and now that they had found Tony, they knew that there was more to come. They could worry about it later though. Both men helped Tony to his feet and they stumbled towards the helicopter. First thing, they were going to get Tony to a doctor…then they were going home.

~~~~~~~~

The plane landed on the runway at one of New York’s top military bases. Soldiers stood guard outside of a black vehicle as they awaited the arrival of Tony Stark and his entourage from Afghanistan. News had broken a few days before hand that the billionaire was alive and only had fairly minor injuries from his kidnapping and imprisonment. Two days of makeshift hospitals, debriefs, and protocol had been enough for the man who wanted on the next plane back to the states. General Gabriel had arranged it, hoping that it would get the man to be more cooperative, but it hadn’t.

As the ramp lowered, Pepper and Happy watched as Tony stood up from his wheelchair, wearing a black suit and grey shirt, his arm in a sling, having been hurt in the crash from the skies. He leaned on Rhodey who was holding his left arm in support. Steve was on his right, two bags and shield resting on his back. His free hand was on Tony’s back, guiding the man down as they stepped carefully down the steep slope.

“Watch it, coming up here,” Rhodey said, getting Tony to step over the bump where the ramp pieces connected. As they rolled a stretcher into view Tony wanted to groan.

“Are you kidding me with this? Get rid of them.”

Rhodey waved them off and Tony let go of Rhodey’s hand to adjust his suit jacket blowing in the breeze as they stepped up to Pepper. Her eyes were red and puffy as if she had been crying, but a relieved smile graced her face. Tony looked her over carefully.

“Hmm. You’re eyes are red. Tears for your long lost boss.”

“Tears of joy. I hate job hunting,” she joked knowing Tony would want everything back to normal.

“Yeah, vacation’s over.”

Rhodey told him that he had to check in at the base and told Pepper to text him and he would meet them wherever they ended up. Steve climbed into the front seat of the car with Happy while Tony and Pepper sat in the back.

The soldier was surprisingly silent and had been since Tony had been found. Knowing the man as well as they did, they knew he was probably beating himself up over Tony’s ordeal, though they knew he was extremely happy that the man was found alive. Still, Tony and Rhodey were the only ones who had seen the changes in him that this experience brought. He was on edge for days, hyperaware of Tony’s movements. Steve had also snapped at the base staff in Afghanistan if he wasn’t kept in the loop. Tony hoped that it would change now that they were back on American soil.

“Where to, sir,” Happy asked calmly glancing back at Tony and effectively breaking the tense silence.

“Take us to the hospital, please Happy,” Pepper spoke up.

“No,” Tony said immediately.

“No, Tony you have to go to the hospital,” Pepper argued.

“No is a complete answer.”

“The doctor has to look at you.”

“I don’t have to do anything. I’ve been in captivity for three months. There are two things that I want to do. I want an American cheeseburger…” he paused.

“That’s enough of that.”

“…and the other… is not what you think. I want you to call for a press conference, now.”

“Call for a press conference?” Pepper looked completely confused as she looked up at Steve who was looking back at them. He shrugged figuring it wouldn’t hurt to give into Tony’s demands for once.

“Yeah,” Tony said answering her.

“What on Earth for?”

She was ignored this time when Tony spoke up again. “Hogun, drive. Cheeseburger first.”

~~~~~~~~

There was a crowd outside of Stark Industries when they pulled up. Obadiah Stane was leading the round of applause as he stepped up to open the door for Tony.

“Look at this!” Stane said excitedly. He embraced the man as he stepped out of the car. “Tony, we were going to meet at the hospital. Look at you.”

Happy, Pepper, and Steve stepped out. Steve had the bag from Burger King held out as Tony stuck his hand in, pulling out a third hamburger from the bag. The other two had been consumed on the drive there.

“You had to have a burger, yeah?” Stane asked glancing at Steve.

“Well, come on,” Tony said not really answering.

“Did you get me one of those?” Obadiah asked.

“There’s only one left. I need it.”

Steve, Tony, and Obadiah walked into the building together with Pepper on their heels. Happy moved back around to move the car. They walked through the building to the press conference room and the sound of more applauding. Pepper and Steve broke off to the back of the room as the faces of Stark Industries made their way to the front.

“Hey, look who’s here! Yeah!” Stane cheered as Tony walked his way through the crowd acting like he normally does.

Pepper smiled at that turning to look at Steve. “Thank you, for bringing him home to us.”

“I didn’t do anything. Tony won’t give us any details, but he got out on his own. If we hadn’t been investigating something else we wouldn’t have found him.”

She smiled softly. “You brought him home and that’s what’s important. All of us here are grateful for that.”

Steve nodded absentmindedly, not really feeling worthy of praise. Despite Tony’s very confident attitude, Steve and Rhodey had both seen the man had been changed by this. They had both agreed to let things run their course and try to act natural towards the man until he was ready to talk. That was of course, going to be ruined by the sight of Phil Coulson striding towards them. Pepper probably wouldn’t recognize the man as she worked for Tony and hadn’t really been inside of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s facility, but Steve knew Fury was sticking his nose in this for some reason and didn’t trust Steve to do the work.

“Miss Potts, Colonel Rogers,” Coulson said politely nodding to them.

“Yes,” Pepper beamed politely, very much in a good mood now that she’d seen Tony with her own eyes.

“Can I speak to you for a moment?” he asked equally polite, eyeing Steve as he addressed Pepper.

“I’m not part of the press conference, but it’s about to begin right now,” she gestured towards the media circus.

“I’m not a reporter. I’m agent Phil Coulson with the Strategic, Homeland, Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division,” he held out his card and Steve fought back a laugh. Trust Coulson to use the full name of the organization than its shortened acronym.

“That’s quite a mouthful,” she said as she took the business card he held out to her.

“I know,” Coulson said, before lying. “We’re working on it.”

This time Steve snorted earning a glare from Coulson though Pepper didn’t react.

“You know, we’ve been approached already by the DOD, the FBI, the CIA…”

“We’re a separate division with a more specific focus. We’ve also worked with Mr. Stark before,” Coulson said trying to find a way in. Steve knew exactly what this was about. “We need to debrief Mr. Stark about the circumstances of his escape.”

“I’ll put something in the book, shall I?”

“Thank you,” Coulson said, stepping away from them as the press conference began.

“Uh….” Obadiah said, looking over the podium to where Tony was sitting in front of it confused by the man’s actions thus far. He stepped around as Tony spoke up, yanking another cheeseburger from his suit jacket pocket.

 

“Hey, would it be all right if everyone sat down? Why don’t you just sit down? That way you can see me, and I can…A little less formal and…” he took a bite out of the cheeseburger while everyone took a seat on the floor. Obadiah sat down next to him on the stage while Pepper and Steve crouched down in the back of the room, still visible to Tony’s eyes. He saw Rhodey walk in and approach Pepper crouching down on the other side of her.

“What’s up with the love-in?” he whispered to both of them, clearly not in the loop.

“Don’t look at me. I don’t know what he’s up to,” Pepper muttered softly before they both glanced at Steve.

“I know as much as the both of you do. I don’t think we should be worried about anything yet. Tony’s always been a bit…odd…unorthodox maybe.”

They nodded before paying attention to the front of the room once more.

“Good to see you,” Tony spoke softly to Obie who smiled and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Good to see you too,” the man replied.

“I never got to say goodbye to Dad,” he said to Obie before turning towards the crowd. “I never got to say goodbye to my father. There’s questions that I would have asked him. I would have asked him how he felt about what this company did. If he was conflicted, if he ever had doubts. Or maybe he was every inch the man we all remember from the newsreels.”

The crowd watched in a little bit of shock as they all tried to figure out what Stark was thinking.

“I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons, I created to defend them and protect them.”

Steve watched Obadiah’s expression shift as he looked at Tony. It was almost angry, upset about something, and equally confused as the rest of them while Tony continued.

“And I saw, that I had become part of a system that is comfortable with zero accountability.”

“Mr. Stark!” the reporters all murmured while one held up his hand with a pen in it into the air.

“Hey Ben,” Stark said recognizing the man and giving him permission to ask a question.

“What happened over there?” the reporter asked and Stane’s expression shifted again. He seemed to have figured out where Tony was going and Steve had a sinking feeling he did too. Tony stood up and began to walk around the podium.

“Uh…I had my eyes opened. I came to realize that I have more to offer this world than just making things that blow up,” he said as he reached the microphones and leaned on the podium a bit. “And that is why effective immediately, I am shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark International…”

Obadiah leaped to his feet to stop Tony while the reporters rose clamoring with questions and answers. Tony fought against Stane’s pushing hands. He would finish what he had to say.

“…until such a time as I can decide what the future of the company will be. What direction it should take, one that I’m comfortable with and is consistent with the highest good for this country, as well.”

“Okay,” Stane joked over Tony, pushing him away from the stage. “I think we’re gonna be selling a lot of newspapers. What we should take away from this is Tony’s back! And he’s healthier than ever. We’re going to have a little internal discussion and we’ll get back to you with the follow-up.”

Pepper watched Tony as he walked through the crowd and out the door. She caught Rhodey’s face first and saw the disappointment in his face. Rhodey worked closely with Tony on the weapons program for the military. It was clear that he didn’t discuss his plan with anyone before blurting it out at the press conference.

She turned to ask Steve what he thought only to see the resignation in his eyes. He caught her gaze and she saw that underneath it, there was surprise there too. She had to know exactly what both men were thinking, she grabbed both arms and began to drag them away to one of the more private rooms leaving Stane to clean up the mess here.

Both men went willingly and she made sure the door what shut and locked behind her, so no one would be able to get in while they discussed this.

“I know you two said you didn’t know what Tony was thinking, but what do you make of all this.”

“Tony’s being his rash self and isn’t thinking straight,” Rhodey spoke immediately. “You two and Obadiah should have squashed the press conference when he mentioned it.”

“We didn’t,” Steve spoke up, “because you and I agreed to let him continue on as if things were normal, until he was ready to talk to us about what happened.”

“…and look what that did. Tony probably just destroyed the company by saying that,” Rhodey said. “Not to mention he’s put everyone’s career here on the line. The contracts with the military and S.H.I.E.L.D. are both gone.”

Rhodey took a few deep breaths realizing quickly he had just lost his temper with the two people that were on his side as far as Tony’s well-being was concerned. “I’m sorry I lost it there for a moment, you guys. All this, Afghanistan, Tony…I need a break to process all this.”

Steve put a hand on his shoulder. “No, I get it. All of us just went through three months of hell wondering if Tony was still alive and Tony…well we don’t know what he went through, but it’s changed him enough that he’s grown a conscience about his actions and the consequences of making weapons. His blinders are gone and he’s trying to cope in his own way because that’s how Tony is. Maybe we should have seen this coming, but the fact of the matter is that it’s out there and we can’t take it back. Right now, I think the best thing for us is to move on and see if we can’t help each other. I’ve already requested transfer to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Malibu field office so I can stick close to Tony. Pepper and I can work on trying to get him back on track or even a better track than he was before. Let Stane try and wrangle Tony on the welfare of Stark Industries.”

“And what about me?” Rhodey asked him.

“The best thing to do is to focus on your career. You’re right that with this announcement that this will have serious repercussions for Stark Industries and its partners. The military will need good men to keep up with not having the support they’ve had for years. You’re one of those good men, James.”

He took another, more shaky breath and nodded. “You’ll keep me in the loop, right. If you need anything, especially for Tony, you’ll call me.”

“You’re number four on my speed dial,” Pepper spoke up smiling at the men.

“Who’s one, two, and three,” Rhodey asked curiously.

“Voicemail, Tony, Steve….Happy is five, Obadiah six if that makes you feel any better,” she said politely and both men couldn’t contain the little bit of laughter at the fact that Stane was at the bottom of Pepper’s priority list.

“All right, but if this goes south, man. It’s all on you, Rogers,” Rhodey said patting the man’s forearm.

“I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm also going to apologies for this chapter probably being the one with the worst number of mistakes. I'm the kind of person who can't go back and edit or I'll keep going 'that's crap' and end up deleting everything. Bre is helping a bit with being a beta and I appreciate it, but if there's anything we both miss, feel free to tell me so I can fix it.
> 
> I do have to say, I really love the dynamic between Steve and everyone here, especially between him and Tony. Feel free to feed me Kudos and I enjoy comments!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> Last because she did it for me on her Tumblr, check out my friend BreTheWriter's Marvel Series. She delves into gathering the Avengers together, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and most of the stories deal with the aftermath of Captain America: The Winter Solder. It's called Hold Me Like You'll Never Let Me Go and it's awesome. Seriously check it out!  
> http://archiveofourown.org/series/108962


	8. Recovery and Secret Projects

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony plotting various things...fun with Pepper and replacing the reactor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay...so I know at this point, I'm basically following the script of the movie and that's no fun really, though I am trying to tweak some things and make them different. The same is going to happen for Hulk, I think, but if you guys are willing to stick with me until Thor, I have some really interesting plans!

It took some time for the media to clear out. Obadiah was having a hard time trying to come up with an answer of how in a few short minutes, the empire he helped to build with Howard Stark could fall so quickly. Tony could have at least given him some warning. Of course, he would have tried to talk him out of it. Rhodes and Potts could have helped him stop it, but he had the feeling Tony didn’t tell anyone what he was going to say. Hell, this was even something Rogers probably would have been willing to help him stop.

First he had to find Tony. Everyone he talked to hadn’t paid attention to where the man had gone. It wasn’t until he found Potts that he discovered Hogan had driven him over to the Arc Reactor. He had heard from someone over in Afghanistan about Tony’s personal reactor in his chest. The man had at least told the doctors about the shrapnel in his chest and how he had to build the mini one to save his own life. That was another thing they were going to have to discuss. Now that Tony had miniaturized it, they could turn it into a weapon.

It wasn’t very far, so instead of calling for a car, he grabbed one of the lot Segways and drove himself over. Hogan was leaning on the car next to the opening, but he thought he would check and be sure that the man he was looking for, was in fact, inside the building.

“Where is he?” He pulled up in front of the man taking the cigar out of his mouth.

Hogan pulled his own cigarette from between his lips, gesturing to the door. “He’s inside.”

He dismounted from the Segway leaving Stark’s employee to handle it and made his way to the door. He had to pull his ID out of his suit pocket, swiping to gain access. Tony was leaning with one hand on the rail looking up at the reactor. His suit coat was draped on the railing next to him. The younger man glanced his way as he entered the room.

“Well, that…That went well,” he said chomping on his cigar and pushing his own suit coat back to put his fists on his hips.

“Did I just paint a target on the back of my head?”

“Your head? What about my head?” Obadiah continued approaching Tony. The younger man yanked off his suit tie draping it on top of his coat. “What do you think the over-under on the stock drop is gonna be tomorrow?”

“Uh, optimistically, 40 points,” Tony said in a teasing tone, despite the fact that none of this was worth joking over.

“At minimum,” Stane responded not giving in to Tony’s attempt to lighten the mood.

“Yep,” Tony said in agreement.

“Tony,” Stane began. “We’re a weapon’s manufacturer…”

“Obie, I just don’t want a body count to be our only legacy.”

“…that’s what we do. We’re iron mongers. We make weapons.”

“It’s my name on the side of the building.”

“And what we do keeps the world from falling into chaos,” Obie continued trying to convince Tony that he knew what was best.

“No based on what I saw,” Tony argued back. “We’re not doing a good enough job. We can do better. We’re gonna do something else.”

“Like what,” Stane responded, starting to let his frustration show. “You want us to make baby bottles?”

“I think we should take another look into arc reactor technology.”

“Ah, come on. The arc reactor, that’s a publicity stunt! Tony, come on. We build that thing to shut the hippies up!”

“It works.”

“Yeah, as a science project. The arc was never cost effective. We knew that before we built it. Arc reactor technology…that’s a dead end, right?” Obie said a bit expectantly despite his words against it.

“Maybe,” Tony hinted.

“Huh? Am I right? We haven’t had a breakthrough in that in what? 30 years.”

Tony turned to look at the man. Obie looked like he was a man who was in the know. It wasn’t as though Tony had tried to hide his accessory from anyone. Doctors had poked at it. Steve and Rhodey had both seen it with their own eyes. Pepper had been told about it.

“That’s what they say,” he finally spoke up narrowing his eyes. “Could you have a lousier poker face? Just tell me, who told you?”

“Never mind who told me. Show me.”

“Rhodey, Steve, or Pepper…it’s Rhodey, Steve, or Pepper.”

“I want to see it.”

“Okay Rhodey.”

It wasn’t Rhodey, but it didn’t matter who had told him. The fact was he knew and he wanted to see it. Tony had to remove the sling from his arm and unbutton his shirt, parting it to show off the glowing device in his chest. Stane made a face, stepping forward and reaching up to grab the edges of Tony’s shirt close to the reactor.

“Okay,” he said simply, speaking low as if anyone else was in the room and could hear them talking about this.

“Okay?”

Stane laughed, his face lighting up like every cliché child reference you could possibly think of.

“It works,” Tony told him simply watching the face shift to a more serious, but still extremely happy look.

“Listen to me Tony. We’re a team. Do you understand? There’s nothing we can’t do if we stick together, like your father and I.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t give you a heads-up, okay? But if I had…”

“Tony,” Stane cut him off. “Tony, no more of this ‘ready, fire, aim’ business. You understand me?”

“That was Dad’s line,” Tony actually smirked at the familiarity and Obie almost beamed back at the look Tony gave him.

“You gotta let me handle this. We’re gonna have to play a whole different kind of ball now. We’re going to have to take a lot of heat. I want you to promise me that you’re gonna lay low.

~~~~~~~~

As predicted, the media frenzy was having a field day with the announcement that Stark Industries was closing down their weapons division. Some of it was even entertaining to some, but it wasn’t to Pepper Potts. She was watching the host of one of those shows tactfully smash a coffee mug with a baseball bat as he spoke about the company’s ‘new business plan.’ She was so engrossed in it that Tony’s voice from the speaker startled her and she missed what he said. Quickly she turned down the program.

“What?”

“How big are your hands?”

“I don’t understand why…”

“Get down here. I need you.”

She didn’t ask any more questions. She stood placing her laptop on the coffee table before heading down to the lab as her employer asked of her. The strange sight that met her when she looked through the glass looked like a combination of lab and a hospital set up. Tony sat in a chair, his chest bare and sweatpants low on his hips as she absentmindedly punched in her access code.

“Hey,” he said as she opened the door. In his hand was another glowing device similar to the one in his chest. She could now also see the towel draped across his thighs. “Let’s see them. Show me your hands. Let’s see them.”

She stepped towards him, holding her hands up, her fingers twitching a bit. “Oh, wow,” he continued. “They are small. Very petite, indeed. I just…uh…need your help for a sec.”

“Oh, my God, is that the thing that’s keeping you alive?”

It was the first time she’d had a chance to see it up close. Steve had been the one to call her via video conference and tell her of Tony’s survival and of the reactor, but she had been so caught up with arranging his return and his health, not to mention the business fiasco, that she hadn’t had a chance to really let this part sink in. Now it was staring her in the face and she couldn’t look away.

“It was. It is now an antique. This…is what will be keeping me alive for the foreseeable future. I’m swapping it up for an upgraded unit, and I just ran into a little speed bump.” He held up the new model in his hand for her to see.

“Speed bump, what does that mean?” She was almost afraid to ask, especially with him wanting to know about the size of her hands.

“It’s nothing. It’s just a little snag. There’s an exposed wire under this device. And it’s contacting the socket wall and causing a little bit of a short. It’s fine.”

Pepper cringed a bit as he twisted the device in his chest, pulling the main reactor out before he disconnected it from his body. He handed it to her and she took it in shock.

“Wh…wh…what do you want me to do?”

“Put that on the table over there. That is irrelevant.”

“Oh, my God!” she said again dropping it to the table behind her.

“I want you to reach in, and you’re just gonna gently lift the wire out.”

“Is it safe?” She asked looking at the metal base in his chest.

“Yeah, it should be fine. It’s like Operation. You just don’t let it touch the socket wall,” he said as he gestured to the ring.

“What’s op…what do you mean ‘Operation’?”

“It’s just a game, never mind. Just gently lift the wire.”

“Okay.”

“Okay? Great.”

She lowered her hand, her fingers touching the cool metal before it caught up to her just exactly what it was she was getting ready to do. She recoiled with a hiss of teeth. “You know, I don’t think that I’m qualified to do this.”

“No, you’re fine. You’re the most capable, qualified, trustworthy person I’ve ever met. Well, besides maybe Steve, but he’s not here and his hands are probably too big. You’re gonna do great,” he looked up at her and could see that she still wasn’t convinced. “Is it too much of a problem to ask? ‘Cause I’m…I really need your help here.”

“Okay, okay,” she said giving in.

“Okay,” he said laying his head back as she, still hesitantly, lowered her hand into his chest cavity.

“Oh…oh, there’s pus!” Her voice pitched high and her face betraying her, showing her disgust for the squishy goo on her fingers.

“It’s not pus,” he corrected. “It’s an inorganic plasmic discharge from the device, not from my body.”

“It smells!”

“Yeah, it does. The copper wire. Okay, you got it?”

“Okay, I got it! I got it!”

“Now, don’t let it...ah” he yelled as she heard a buzzing sound. His face was pain filled as he yelled “…tough the sides when you’re coming out! That’s what I was trying to tell you before.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” she pleaded as she pulled up the wire.

“Okay, now make sure that when you pull it out, you don’t pull out the magnet…” she tugged pulling up the wire and a thick round metal piece that looked like a donut with ridges and Tony got a too late expression on his face. “There’s a magnet at the end of it! That was it. You just pulled it out.”

The moment she did that, the machines began to beep rapidly and his expression combined with his tone spoke volumes.

“Oh, God!” She said in horror.

“Okay I was not expecting…” she started to lower her hand back down, the device with it.

“Don’t put it back in! Don’t put it back in!” He yelled.

“Okay what do I do? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I’m just going into cardiac arrest ‘cause you yanked it out like a trout…”

“What? You said it was safe,” she yelled in panic.

“We gotta hurry. Take this. Take this.” He held up the new reactor for her to take. They would have to hurry or he was going to be in big trouble. “We gotta switch it out really quick.”

“Okay. Okay,” she said taking the reactor. She knew there wasn’t any time to argue. “Tony?”

“What?”

“It’s going to be okay,” she said trying to keep him calm and maybe a bit for her own sanity after all this. “I’m gonna make this okay.”

“Let’s hope,” he said as she lowered the connecting cable down. “Okay, you’re gonna attach that to the base plate. Make sure you…” he yelled again as it connected the wires touching the socket wall again. There were worse things and at least the frantic beeping of the monitors had stopped when the reactor connected in. Pepper lowered the core the rest of the way down. “Was that so hard? That was fun wasn’t it?”

She was breathing heavily and fleetingly thought she didn’t get paid enough for something like this. The fact that he could joke when his life was in danger moments before meant all was well with him, but she still didn’t like it.

“Here, I got it. I got it. Here,” he said as he twisted the reactor into place. “Nice.”

Her hands were shaking, covered in a clear slimy goo. Still she was more concerned about him. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I feel great,” he said with confidence. That tone, once again, betraying the fact that his life was just in danger. “You okay?”

He laughed at her expression and she wanted to hit him. “Don’t ever, ever, ever, ever ask me to do anything like that ever again.”

“I don’t have anyone but you,” he said seriously looking into her eyes. Her heart began to pound as his lips curled momentarily on one side before falling again. She curled her hands into fists as he sat up, ripping the sensors off of his chest and wiping off his own hands and chest. Pepper found a towel off to the side to wipe her hands, risking a small smile on her own face as she picked up the old reactor.”

“What do you want me to do with this?”

“That…Destroy it. Incinerate it,” he tapped at the one on his chest as if to remind her it was there.

“You don’t want to keep it?”

He flopped the towel on the chair. “Pepper, I’ve been called many things. Nostalgic is not one of them.”

She looked down at the thing thoughtfully. “Will that be all, Mr. Stark?”

“That will be all, Miss Potts.”

He turned and gestured to a finger at one of his robots while Pepper watched him for a moment, an idea forming in her head as she carried the reactor out of the room. She was so distracted that she was unaware that Tony was watching her leave, his own thoughts spinning through his expression.

He shook it off. There wouldn’t ever be anything between the two of them other than friendship anyway. He was always too self-absorbed in his work. Speaking of work, he had a plan, but he was possibly going to need a wing man. Not Steve, the man was a mother hening boy scout that wouldn’t approve of Tony putting himself into danger. No, he needed someone with Steve’s experience, but was a bit freer with his ideas. He needed his best buddy, now it was time to go find him

~~~~~~~~

It seemed like only yesterday that he had been in a military hanger, though he had been home for several weeks. He knew Rhodey had thrown himself back into the military, partially training new recruits when they came in as well as his job as military liaison to whatever company had replaced Stark Industries. Tony hadn’t heard if anyone had replaced him yet, but he knew it was only a matter of time. He walked through the hanger looking and listening for the voice of the man he considered his best friend, following it when he heard it.

“The future of air combat. Is it manned or unmanned? I’ll tell you in my experience, no unmanned aerial vehicle will ever trump a pilot’s instinct, his insight, that ability to look into a situation beyond the obvious and discern its outcome, or a pilot’s judgment.”

Tony smiled as he stepped out looking at his friend and the dozen or so pilots tagging along listening to what sounded like a school teacher’s lecture.

“Colonel? Why not a pilot without the plane?”

Rhodey smiled gesturing to the man for his trainees. “Look who fell out of the sky. Mr. Tony Stark.”

Tony reached out to shake a few hands. “Speaking of manned or unmanned, you gotta get him to tell you about the time he guessed wrong at spring break. Just remember that, spring break, 1987. That lovely lady you woke up with.”

“Don’t do that!” Rhodey warned, but Tony kept on going.

“What was his name? Was it Ivan?”

“Don’t do that,” he said again. “They’ll believe it. Don’t do that.”

“Okay,” Tony backed off turning towards the troops. “Pleasure meeting you.”

“Give us a couple of minutes you guys,” Rhodey gestured causing the men and women to scatter. “I’m surprised.”

“Why?”

“I swear, I didn’t expect to see you walking around so soon.”

“I’m doing a little better than walking.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he paused at the skeptical look he got. “Rhodey, I’m working on something big. I came to talk to you. I want you to be a part of it.”

Rhodey smiled genuinely almost laughing. “You’re about to make a whole lot of people around here real happy, ‘cause that little stunt at the press conference…that was a doozy.”

Tony hummed, knowing that he was getting ready to dash his friend’s hope and excitement with his next words. The way Rhodey talked almost confirmed that the military didn’t have a replacement for his company yet, at least not one that was fully contract worthy.

“This is not for the military. I’m not…It’s different,” he admitted carefully, watching disbelief cross the other man’s face.

“What? You’re a humanitarian now or something?”

“I need you to listen to me.”

“No,” the answer immediate. “What you need is time to get your mind right. I’m serious.”

Tony smirked knowing believing that Rhodey believed in what he was saying. “Okay.”

He’d give in for now…smiling, nodding, agreeing with the man. So much for thinking his best buddy would be his wing man. Rhodey nodded refusing to smile and that hurt a bit. “It’s nice seeing you, Tony.”

The soldier turned and walked away. If Rhodey wouldn’t listen to him, that left him in a position to do this solo. Still, he thanked the man, especially after all he put up with. Tony was beginning to suspect that he hurt the people closest to him a lot more than he thought from everyone’s reactions. He’d have to shrug it all off and prove himself, plus there was Yinsen’s dying wish to fulfill and he’d be damned if he didn’t try.

When Tony arrived back at home, he was surprised to see Steve sitting in the middle of the living room. The man had become somewhat of an overseer after Afghanistan, going out of his way to transfer to the Malibu office of S.H.I.E.L.D. to stay with him and Tony partially suspected to piss off Nick Fury who was still at the main office in New York City.

Currently the man was surrounded by file folders and paperwork and his mostly non-used laptop. The man was typing carefully on the keys, probably having to do an electronic report of some sort to e-mail to New York. Steve wasn’t a huge fan of technology and didn’t use it unless he had to. Still, the man admitted that he did see the value in it, even if it wasn’t one of his interests.

He looked up now though when Tony entered, relieved a bit as he set aside his lap top to look at the younger man. Tony gave him a curious look that Steve returned. Somehow, the man had to know what he’d just done. Rhodey had gone and snitched on him and now he really wasn’t in the mood to try to explain to Steve exactly what he had been thinking.

“I got a call from, Rhodey. You went all the way to the base to talk to him about some big secret project you’re working on that’s not for military use and you upset him,” Steve spoke up breaking the tense silence. There were so many unspoken questions in that statement that Tony had to figure out the best way to explain it.

“First, it’s not a secret project. In fact, it’s now a non-existent project because the only person I was considering that was perfect for helping me with it said no,” he lied knowing he was still going ahead with the project. He just wasn’t going to tell Steve that. “Two, I never even hinted that it was for military use, he assumed because I came to find him on the base that it was. Three, he wouldn’t even hear me out, so I’d say I’m a lot more disappointed than he is upset.”

Steve listened to his rant curiously, his face falling when he realized Tony was legitimately upset by the whole thing. When Tony was done, he glanced at the older man and tried to articulate in some way the real frustration for all of this pent up anger.

“I don’t want to make weapons any more Steve. I want to build something that’s going to benefit us a lot more that a gun or a missile. Obie and Rhodey don’t see it. The media claim that I’m insane for shutting down the factory. After what I saw, what I went through. I don’t want that kind of reputation. I don’t want that to be my legacy and no one is willing to take me seriously when I say that.”

“Then what do you want to do?”

Tony thought about it for a moment coming over to sit down on the chair. “I have a few ideas. I’m not sure what good they’ll do.”

Steve smiled at him, though it was a sad smile. “I can’t tell you what to do, Tony. I can’t tell you what’s right and what’s wrong. I do know war and sacrifice and death, so although I can’t imagine what you went through and you won’t talk about it, all I can say is you know what’s best for you. You’re the inventor, the engineering creator, the genius.”

“Keep stroking my ego, you know I like that,” Tony teased already feeling better. Steve chuckled a bit.

“No, just no, Tony,” he paused. “All I’m saying, if that’s the path you want to take, then only you can decide that. Not me, not Rhodey or Stane, not even Pepper or Happy….It’s your path. You have to make it yourself. If this is something you think you should do. Go for it. Just promise me one thing.”

“I make no promises, but I’ll hear you out,” Tony said dryly, the corner of his lip tipping up in a wry expression.

“Don’t do anything that will get you killed.”

“Deal.”

~~~~~~~~

With a new bit of confidence and Steve’s round about approval…even if he had to lie to get it…he headed downstairs. So what if he didn’t have Rhodey or couldn’t trust Scout Master Steve on not stopping him if he found out the true nature of this project. He was going to rebuild his suit, only like his reactor, this would be a newer and improved version and one that wouldn’t drop him from the sky.

He swiped his hand over his control panel causing it to light up and become active. It was time to put his lab into serious hardware mode and prepare for him to create the biggest thing that had ever come from his own mind and turn it into tangible reality.

“Jarvis you up?”

_For you, sir, always._

“I’d like to open a new project file, index as Mark Two,” Tony said as he pulled up the specs he had uploaded into the computer of the suit he had built for his escape. It was time for some improvements and upgrades.

_Shall I Store this on the Stark Industries Central Database?_

“Actually, I don’t know who to trust right now. Till further notice, why don’t we just keep everything on my private server?” He moved the file over to a manipulated projection. He pulled off two components of the suit that threw them into the digital trashcan. He needed the outline, but he knew that if he was going to do the good he wanted, it was going to have to be best he was capable of. What he had built, definitely wasn’t good enough.

_Working on a secret project, are we, sir?_

“I don’t want this winding up in the wrong hands. Maybe in mine it can actually do some good.”

He spun the projection on the platform, risking a smile. It was time to go to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we go...another chapter down. If there's one thing I love is the dynamic Tony has with each person, especially the ones closest to him. It's gonna hurt so much when everything goes down in the end. I'm having too much fun with this you guys. Anyway I hope you enjoy this!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party for side stories:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	9. Proof That Tony Stark Has a Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony deals with being off the grid, first flight, and some betrayal.

Over the next few weeks, Tony had begun to spend most of his time in his lab, surrounded by his robots. Jarvis was always present, offering dry wit and his every informative help. Tony would often criticize Dum-E, the robotic hand that he had built when he had been in college who still worked with him to this day. Unfortunately, the poor thing couldn’t seem to get anything right. Right now it was trying to be helpful, holding up a magnifying glass so that Tony could see what he needed to complete the boot.

“Next. Up. Not in the boot, Dum-E. Right here. You got me? Stay put. Nice. You’re of no benefit at all. Move down to the toe. I got this. Okay, I’m sorry, am I in your way? Up. Screw it. Don’t even move. You are a tragedy.”

If anyone saw this, they would have thought Tony was crazy, talking to himself, but his free moving robots could respond to voice commands, and Dum-E was no exception. The problem was that Tony was impatient and definitely gave the machines a work out, criticizing them as he would a person who got on his nerves. Tony was in fact, quite proud of his machines for what they were. Since he was always upgrading and improving, the items that made the cut of being kept often held some sort of sentimental value to the man…his little idiot hand included. For some reason he knew that it would be useful to him some day. The poor thing tried so hard.

Once he finished his boots and a few other smaller items and connectors to the arc reactor, he decided it was time to try test flight. After his short shot and sudden drop, he had been fascinated with the idea of trying again. He wanted to be able to actually do it. He wanted to create a flying suit that a single man could pilot.

He set up cameras so that if anything went wrong, he could go back and watch what went well and…well what could be worked on. He wouldn’t say fail. Stark men never failed. They just worked over the stumbling blocks of progress.

“Okay, let’s do this right,” Tony said to the room. “Start mark, half a meter, and back and center.”

He glanced back at his troublesome robot. “Dum-E, look alive. You’re on standby for fire safety.”

He pointed at the camera. “You, roll it. Okay. Activate hand controls.”

The sound of something powering up filled the silence of the room. He shifted nervously holding onto the metal controls tightly in his hands. He could do this. He’d done it before. How hard could this be?

“We’re gonna start off nice and easy. We’re gonna see if 10% thrust capacity achieves lift. And three…two…one.”

He took a deep breath pressed the controls and...Bam! He hit the solid wall before falling back down to the concrete flooring. To make matters worse, Dum-E pressed the handle to the extinguisher, dousing him with the stream of chemicals. He groaned. Yeah, he wasn’t getting up any time soon. Meanwhile his mind was already trying to come up with a way to fix that problem. From his trajectory, he had flown up and backwards landing behind the rolling toolboxes he had been using as a barrier.

“Note to self. Less thrust capacity more stability.”

After a few hours of tinkering, he figured out that he might be able to create a glove and support gauntlet that would allow him to have more control and not break his arm in the process. It took him a few days to get it all ready and just as he put it on, he could see Pepper and Steve come striding down the stairs. Pepper was balancing a coffee mug, on a box, on a stack of files. Steve was carrying his own coffee mug looking a bit annoyed and dare he say torn about something when he caught sight of the younger man. Steve punched in his code to the lab, holding the door open for Pepper before following her into the room. Tony adjusted the arm piece and pretended to not notice them

“Up two. All right, set that,” he said to Dum-E as he finished securing the piece around his arm.

“I’ve been buzzing you. Did you hear the intercom,” Pepper said.

“Yeah, everything’s…What?” He responded when they saw the look she gave him.

“Obadiah’s upstairs,” Steve said as Pepper set down the items she was carrying.

“What would you like me to tell him?” Pepper asked turning to look at him.

Tony was distracted, not answering them as he said, “Great! Great. I’ll be right up.”

He lifted the arm piece off the stand and held out the length of his arm. Steve watched in horror as the man looked like he was aiming it and began to stride towards him trying to stop him from doing something incredibly stupid.

“I thought you said you were done making weapons,” Pepper commented following Steve to the table. The other man stepped around to get behind Tony.

“It is. This is a flight stabilizer. It’s completely harmless.”

Tony hit a button on the table just as Steve asked. “A flight stabilizer?”

The light in the palm of his hand got a bit brighter and the sound that came from it was like an airplane turbine pickup up speed. With a flash of light and force, both men went flying out of sight. Pepper had to cover her ears and turn away.

She was the first to recover, quickly maneuvering around the table to look for her boss and the super soldier. Tony had blasted them both back into the wall. Steve was on the ground, his upper back and head against the wall, with the rest of his body on the floor. Tony was half on top of him looking at the ceiling in shock.

“Tony, you promised you weren’t going to try and kill yourself,” Steve said through closed teeth, obviously in pain from the impact. It was almost frightening to see him like that.

“In my defense, I didn’t expect that. I think I just gave it a bit too much power.”

“Can you get off of me?” Steve asked opening his eyes and reaching up to rub the back of his head and neck. Nothing was broken, but it would hurt for a few hours.

Tony rolled crawling off the man and getting to his feet. He looked back at Pepper. “Let me get out of this thing and I’ll meet you upstairs. Tell Obie I’ll be up in a few.”

Pepper tried to school her shock as she made a hasty exit. Steve groaned. If something like that could knock him on his ass, then that was a lot of power...too much power, especially for Tony.

“I know I never asked you Tony, but what are you working on?”

“Uh…it’s a secret,” Tony said as he rested his arm back on the stand and began to unscrew the arm apart. “Look I’m trying some new things out and this one isn’t working out. I think I’m going to put it down and work on something else.”

Steve pulled himself up from the floor and walked over to stand in front of Tony. His back hurt from the impact in the wall, so he put a hand on it to steady it. “If I hadn’t been there, you would have been hurt.”

“I’ve been through worst spots,” Tony said flippantly remembering Afghanistan for a moment.

Steve glared at him. “I know I was the one that encouraged you to do this, but I won’t condone it if you were lying to me about doing something dangerous.”

“All I agreed was to not do anything that would get myself killed. I’m an inventor, I create…experiment. This is what I do and I don’t need your permission to do it,” Tony said in an even nonchalant tone.

Steve was staring at him quietly. After a moment, Tony thought he was going to argue, but he didn’t. Instead he made his way to the door. “You’re right Tony. This is what you do and I know why you’re doing this. Just keep to the promise you made to me and we won’t have a problem.”

Tony finished unscrewing the arm off and nodded. He’d keep humoring Steve for now.

“And could you tell Stane to stop ordering me around? He’s not my boss and I’m not a dog that fetches whatever he commands me to get.”

Tony smirked. “Yeah, I can do that.”

~~~~~~~~

The notes from the piano filled the room as Tony ascended the stairs. Pepper and Steve were sitting around the coffee table. Said table was covered in file folders, paperwork, and the laptops nearby. The son had long gone down and the lights of the main city shore could be seen in the distance. Tony almost called them out for being workaholics, but that would hypocritical considering he lived in his lab for the past few weeks. That and Obadiah was there…with pizza.

“How’d it go?” He glanced at the man sitting behind his piano.

Obie shot him a look and Tony made a point to approach the pizza, looking down to see that it had traveled all the way from New York. “It went that bad, huh?”

“Just because I brought pizza back from New York doesn’t mean it went bad,” Obadiah spoke as he continued to play.

“Uh-huh. Sure doesn’t. Oh, boy.” The last part excited for the good stuff as Tony opened up the pizza box and pulled out a slice of the pie. He made a point to hand the piece to Steve who took it surprisingly quick, taking a bite out of it and glaring up at Stane. He was ignored.

“It would have gone better if you were there,” Obie continued stopping his playing to watch Tony’s reaction.

The genius only go another piece of pizza and disagreed, chomping on the food. “You told me to lay low. That’s what I’ve been doing. I lay low, and you take care of all…”

“Hey, come on. In public. The press,” Obie picked up his glass and walked over standing over Tony. “This was a board of directors meeting.”

“This wa…This was a board of directors meeting?” Tony was surprised.

Obadiah took a deep breath, going into serious mode. “The board is claiming you have posttraumatic stress. They’re filing an injunction.”

“A what?”

“They want to lock you out.”

“Why, ‘cause the stocks dipped 40 points? We knew that was going to happen.”

“Fifty-six and a half,” Steve and Pepper said simultaneously correcting Tony.

“It doesn’t matter. We own the controlling interest in the company.” Tony glared at them.

“Tony, the board has rights, too,” Obie tried to get through to the younger man. “They’re making the case that you and your new direction isn’t in the company’s best interest.”

“I’m being responsible!” Tony was getting angry. This was just not his day was it. That’s a new direction for m…for the company.”

Everyone noticed the slip up. Tony had to fix this. “I mean, me on the company’s behalf being responsible for the way that…”

It didn’t work. No one seemed to believe in what he was doing and after what had just happened in the workshop, he’d even lost Steve’s belief in him.

“This is great,” he said dryly as he stood.

“Oh, come on. Tony. Tony,” Stane called after him.                                                    

“I’ll be in the shop,” Tony said simply heading towards the stairs. The pizza box in his hand.

“Hey, hey! Hey, Tony. Listen,” Obie followed him…tried to stop him. “I’m trying to turn this thing around, but you gotta give me something. Something to pitch them. Let me have the engineers analyze that. You know, draw up some specs.”

“No,” Tony said not wanting anyone to get their hands on his mini arc reactor. “No, absolutely not.”

Obadiah voice rose trying to argue over Tony. “It’ll give me a bone to throw the boys in New York.”

“This one stays with me.” Tony was done talking about this and he was beginning to think he couldn’t trust his own partner. “That’s it, Obie. Forget it.”

“All right, well, this stays with me, then,” Obie yanked the pizza box out of Tony’s hands. He almost argued, but then decided it really wasn’t worth it. Obie paused opening the box as if trying to tempt him with the pizza for one more shot. “Go on, here, you can have a piece. Take two.

Tony grabbed one more piece. He sarcastically thanked Obie before going back to the stairs. He didn’t even reach the first step when Obadiah tried for the last time that night.

“You mind if I come down there and see what you’re doing?”

“Good night, Obie.”

Tony was done. There would be no sharing his projects with anyone…at least not for a little while. Not before he knew with 100% certainty who he could count on. Right now that consisted of no one and so everything was on him.

That night he slept in the lab just to avoid everyone…and life in general.

~~~~~~~~

It took a couple of days to assemble his new flying set up. Now it was a matter of testing it. He stood once again in the middle of his lab, surrounded by half-finished parts and potential hazards. That wasn’t new thought. He glanced over at the camera being held once again by one of his robotic helpers.

“Day 11, test 37, configuration 2.0. For lack of a better option, Dum-E is still on fire safety,” he turned to look at his little idiot bot. “If you douse me again, and I’m not of fire, I will donate you to a city college. All right, nice and easy. Seriously, just gonna start off with 1% thrust capacity…and three…two…one.”

He took a deep breath as the thrusters turned on and he rose up into the air. His body shook trying to get some balance, but the equipment did what it was meant to do. The stabilizers in his hands helped to keep him steady and basically in the same spot while the thrusters in his feet kept him in the air without throwing him into a wall again. After about 15 seconds he was landing hard on the ground as the thrusters cut out.

He took a moment to gain his balance, glancing back when he heard Dum-E move. “Please don’t follow me around with it either, ‘cause I feel like I’m gonna catch on fire spontaneously. Just stand down! If something happens, then come in. And again, let’s bring it up to 2.5. Three…two…one!

The thrusters kicked in once again and he felt the higher force as he shakily shifted mid-air. It was a little more difficult for him to keep control. He held his hands up and out as if he was going to catch himself in a normal fall. All that did was force him to glide backwards through the lab and heading for his collection of cars.

“Okay, this is where I don’t want to be!” He said to Jarvis, but the AI didn’t answer. Jarvis didn’t cut the power though which was good, because that would hurt. He floated over the cars high enough to be over them, but there may be some damage to the paint jobs. Paper fluttered through the air, picked up by the force generated by the thrusters. Tony slowly began to get his bearings and held his hands up and out again, forcing him back the way he came. As he passed one of the cameras, he looked down.

“Could be worse! Could be worse! We’re fine! Okay.”

His words were quick, a mixture of apprehension and excitement as he came back around to the starting point. He tried to make his body go as rigid as he could, legs and arms parallel to the other and realized it gave him a bit more control to work with as he spun in a circle and then lowered a bit before hitting the ground a little hard. He had to step back to regain his balance, his boots sparking from the force of the impact. He glanced around the room and saw Dum-E raising the extinguisher up.

“No! Uh-uh! Uh-uh! Uh!”

When the robot lowered it again he felt very satisfied. All in all, he’d call this a successful run. Taking a deep breath he looked directly into the camera lens. “Yeah, I can fly.”

~~~~~~~~

He waited for the night to come before he decided to test the entire suit in an actual flight. Machines put the outer armor of the suit on his body as he reached for the faceplate of his mask.

“Jarvis, are you there?”

_At your service, sir._

“Engage Heads Up Display.”

“Import all preferences from home interface.”

_Will do, sir._

The sight was phenomenal. He could see the workshop as if he was looking out of the windshield of a car. The HUD was lit with the menu on the bottom and sides. He had designed the display to be efficient and interactive as it swept over different items within the workshop identifying them, targeting them, and analyzing.

“All right, what do you say?”

_I have indeed been uploaded, sir. We’re online and ready._

“Can we start the virtual walk-around?”

_Importing preferences and calibrating virtual environment._

“Do a check on control surfaces.”

_As you wish._

He could actually feel as the surfaces of the outer armor shifted. It wasn’t painful, but feeling it made this so much more real than he could ever imagine. He knew he looked bad-ass, because everything he designed was amazing like that. For now everything was the drab silver color of the metal it was made from. He’d have to paint it something a bit more him later. Right now, he had a test to run.

Test complete. Preparing to power down and begin diagnostics.

Jarvis should know him better by now. “Uh, yeah. Tell you what. Do a weather and ATC check. Start listening in on ground control.”

_Sir, there are still terabytes of calculations needed before an actual flight is…_

If Tony didn’t know any better, he’d say Jarvis was worried about him. It was a good thing that he was the AI’s master and creator. That meant that regardless of what Jarvis was programmed to think, he’d have to do as Tony asked. Still he appreciated the sass once in a while.

“Jarvis!” He said in a slightly irritated, but commanding tone. “Sometimes you got to run before you can walk. Ready? In three…two…one.”

There was nothing to describe the elation, the heart pounding fear, the surprise, or the shock of the fast pace launch. He was flying…really flying through the air. It was as if he was on his own personal roller coaster that he was in complete control over and very dangerous.

The sight was even more amazing, he couldn’t see the horizon very well in the dark, but the HUD was showing him exactly where it was. He spun in the air like a plane spinning turning around in an air show.

“Handles like a dream,” he said to Jarvis, once he got his overly excited yelling out of the way.

Now to test the HUD’s full capabilities. He caught sight of the Santa Monica Ferris Wheel in the distance. As he got a little bit closer, he zoomed in. He could see a couple of kids with their mom, eating ice cream on the ride. One of the kids even knocked the ice cream off the cone with his tongue. That one was staring at him. On the side was a small blurb about the carnival ride, though Tony had so much more to focus on than what the HUD was trying to tell him.

He picked up the speed, flying a bit over the city before another thought occurred to him. With the accuracy that should take him a lot more practice, she shifted shooting straight up into the air.

“All right, let’s see what this thing can do. What’s SR-71’s record?”

_The altitude record for fixed wing flight is 85,000 feet, sir._

“Records are made to be broken! Come on!” He shouted the last sentence, excited by the prospects of possibly breaking a record. It was so entirely reckless and everyone he knew would probably kill him for attempting something like this, but…well…right now he didn’t care.”

_Sir,_ Jarvis sounded concerned, _“there is a potentially fatal buildup of ice occurring._

“Keep going,” Tony responded even though he could see the ice over the lenses of the HUD with his own eyes. “Higher.”

And higher he climbed, until his left boot sparked and the power cut out abruptly. He floundered in mid-air for a split second and he cried out as he began to plummet back down to the city far below him.

“We iced up Jarvis! Deploy flaps! Jarvis!” Tony yelled, but didn’t get a response. Right…power off…no Jarvis. He was in trouble. He had to manually deploy the flaps himself. More for himself and a bit at his silent partner, “Come on, we gotta break the ice!”

He found the manual switch with his fingers, giving it a hard twist, feeling the weight lift a bit as the ice fell away, flying backwards with the force of his body falling. Once free, he heard the suit power cut back on. His screen fizzled on, the HUD loading, and…thrusters came back on line. He was low, two low as he sped through traffic, between cars, and even playing chicken with a few of them. Irate and confused motorist honked their horns as he gave another excited yelp followed by laughter and returned to the skies. Still he had had enough excitement for one night. It was time to go home.

He soared over the water and back to the roof of the house. It was going to be difficult to fly back to the workshop without risking damage to his suit, cars, or equipment. The better option would be to land on the roof and walk down. No one was at home right now, so no one would see him.

“Kill power,” he said casually to Jarvis who complied.

What he hadn’t expected was to fall through two floors of house, his piano, and landing on top of one of his cars effectively crushing it. All the other cars’ alarms began to go off, blaring loudly in his ears as if laughing at his blunder. The cherry of the night was the fact that Dum-E was right there. What he was doing there, Tony had no idea, but the extinguisher was in his hand and within seconds he was getting a fine coating of chemicals over his body. Too tired and now lacking the adrenaline from the flight, he laid his head back into the broken car beneath him wondering what he did to deserve this.

~~~~~~~~

Once he got out of his suit and got ice pack on the arm he landed on and putting ice in a bag for his head, he made his way back down to the lab. Irritated he kicked something out of his way, listening to it roll further out of his sight. He grabbed the mug Pepper had brought down earlier of coffee. It had long gone cold, but it sat on the brown wrapped parcel she’d brought down when Obie had visited. He really hadn’t been in the mood to see what it was and in fact, he knew Pepper had switched out the coffee he hadn’t touched that night.

Now, irritated and sipping terrible cold coffee, the curiosity got the better of him. The fact that there was a bright yellow sticky note on top that said ‘from Pepper’ on it only made things worse. He didn’t often get gifts from others, at least ones he didn’t outright ask for from the beginning.

He took off the sticky note, setting is aside on the work bench before ripping the brown paper bag wrapping off. Inside was a simple display case. Something light enough that he could put it on his desk or somewhere in his work shop.

Inside the case was the old arc reactor. The one he told Pepper to incinerate, to destroy. A small part of him wanted to be angry that she didn’t do what he asked of her, but the inscription around the mounted piece forced him to pause.

PROOF THAT TONY STARK HAS A HEART

It was so cheesy, so much so that he had to grin. Of course he had a heart, but then again, he was terribly lousy at showing it. It was a deserved slight to his ego and pride. Plus it made him smile, almost laugh which effectively made the horrible night a bit lighter. He put the case down and went over to sit down at his desk. Jarvis was going to help him fix the inconsistencies in his suit.

“Notes. Main transducer feels sluggish at plus 40 altitude Hull pressurization is problematic. I’m thinking icing is the probably factor,” he spoke to Jarvis knowing from the first command the AI was listening to him.

_A very astute observation, sir._ Jarvis answered promptly confirming that he heard _. Perhaps, if you intend to visit other planets, we should improve the exosystems._

“Connect to the sys. co. Have it reconfigure the shell metals. Use the gold titanium alloy from the Seraphim tactical satellite. That should ensure a fuselage integrity while maintaining power-to-weight ratio. Got it?”

Yes. Shall I render using proposed specifications?

“Thrill me.”

The perk of being the former head of the United States leading technological and weapons manufacturing meant that he had access to just about everything he needed. Even if it was hard to get, the government would somehow find a way to get it for him. After helping to engineer and build the tactical satellite, he had gotten to keep some of the alloy they created to build it. It would be perfect for his suit, and he knew how to make more if he needed to. Of course his suit would be a golden color for the most part, but that was fine.

While he waited for Jarvis to work his magic, the television caught his eye. Especially after he heard his name.

“Tonight’s red-hot red carpet is right here at the Disney Concert Hall, where Tony Stark’s third annual benefit for the Firefighter’s Family Fund had become the place to be for L.A.’s high society.”

Tony was confused for a second. “Jarvis, we get an invite for that?”

_I have no record of an invitation, sir._

Tony missed part of the next bit, but the woman on screen was obviously talking about him. A bit mockingly he picked up his model face plate with the specs written on the front and covered his face.

“…hasn’t been seen in public since his bizarre and highly controversial press conference.”

Pictures of him from the press conference, sitting down on the floor while Obie was standing behind the podium appeared on the screen. He narrowed his eyes at those, knowing that what the public thought wasn’t good.

“Some claim he’s suffering from post traumatic stress and has been bed ridden for weeks. Whatever the case may be, no one expects an appearance from him tonight.”

Tony lowered the mask. Really, is that what everyone thought? First he’s crazy, now he’s been bed ridden. Obie asked him to lay low and they think he’s sick and traumatized. Well he knew most of all that, but hearing it made it worse. Maybe he should go. Maybe all this laying low wasn’t good for him and his image, especially for what he was trying to accomplish.

_The render is complete_. Jarvis brought him back to reality.

“A little ostentatious, don’t you think?” He was joking. He knew it was going to be golden, maybe not that golden, but he’d make it work.

_What was I thinking?_ The AI said dryly. _You’re usually so discreet._

He reached over for the thermos on his desk to get the rest of the juice he had been drinking while all this was going on. His eyes caught sight of his hot rod. Black and red stood out to him. Red he could use. It was more him anyway.

“Tell you what. Throw a little hot-rod red in there.”

_Yes, that should help you keep a low profile._

Jarvis fixed the model and it was fantastic. Tony loved it, not that he would ever admit to that. There was just something about men and their toys.

_The render is complete._

“Hey, I like it,” he toned down his excitement. “Fabricate it. Paint it.”

Commencing automated assembly. Estimated completion time is five hours.

Tony looked down at his watch. The night was still young by his standards. He still had time to make an appearance at his little fundraising gala.

“Don’t wait up for me honey.”

~~~~~~~~

Before long he was jetting down the road in his Audi, speeding and weaving in between and around cars in his rush to get to the concert hall. When he pulled up, he stepped out and was quickly approached by a valet. Chucking the keys into the air, he made a bee line for Obadiah who was giving an interview to some members of the press. The media paparazzi who weren’t doing the interview all turned and frantically began to snap pictures of the man who hadn’t been in the public eye for weeks. If only they could get Stark into an interview. Tony ignored them, listening to Obie who had yet to realize he was there.

“Weapons manufacturing is only one small part of what Stark Industries is all about, and our partnership with the fire and rescue community…”

The screaming made Obadiah turn, his eyes widening a bit at the sight of Tony heading for him. The younger man denied knowing a woman when asked and patted a Hugh Hefner garbed man on the back before reaching Obie. The man had continued the interview despite the distraction.

“We’re going to have a great quarter,” he finished off turning to Tony.

“What’s the world coming to when a guy’s got to crash his own party?”

Obie laughed trying to hide his frustration at Tony being here. All it would take was one small mistake and all of his hard work was going to go out the window. Still he could humor the younger man, and still be his friend. “Look at you. Hey, what a surprise.”

“I’ll see you inside,” Tony nodded not really in the mood to play nice for the media, because that was exactly what Obie was doing.

“Uh…hey. Listen, take it slow, all right? I think I got the board right where we want them.”

Tony nodded again. That was a good thing. Maybe things were starting to turn around. He could at least reassure his partner for all the trouble. “You got it. Just cabin fever. I’ll just be a minute.”

He ducked inside the building making his way to the bar. After all, Tony Stark had a reputation to maintain and an air of normalcy to fake for the time being. He was still planning on taking it slow to appease Obie, but if he didn’t drink something…well it wouldn’t be good.

“Give me a Scotch. I’m starving,” he dropped a tip into the glass serving as a tip jar. The man nodded and went to work as he turned…only to meet the face of one of Nick Fury’s agents. He’d seen the man by Fury’s side, but didn’t really know his name or the man very well. This wasn’t good.

“Mr. Stark.”

“Yeah?”

“Agent Coulson.”

“Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah,” he joked trying to keep it light. “The guy from S.H.I.E.L.D. What does Fury want? A date? I’m sorry to say I’m booked in the evenings for the next few months.”

Coulson managed to keep a straight face through that one. “Listen, I know this must be a trying time for you, but we need to debrief you. There’s still a lot of unanswered questions, and time can be a factor with these things.”

Tony took a sip of his drink. He was still listening to Coulson ramble on. Like hell he was going in to a S.H.I.E.L.D. debrief and sit across from Fury like one of his lackeys to talk about his feelings and any secrets he may have given out. He didn’t give those men anything, not that anyone in the government would believe that. Fury also was the least trusting man he knew, and for not really knowing the man that well…that said a lot.

Then he saw her causing him to slowly lower his glass and do nothing but stare at the vision in front of him. Her red hair wasn’t up in one of those semi-professional buns, but instead was flowing on her back. Her dress was dark blue, backless, and accentuated the curves that she hid under her frumpy business suits. If there was one thing he should have known, it was Pepper Potts was a beautiful, classy, sexy woman. He was only half listening to Coulson now, but it was enough to get the excuse to go over and talk with his assistant.

“Let’s just put something on the books. How about the 24th at 7:00 P.M. at Stark Industries?”

Pepper turned around and it stole his breath away. He needed to get over there now.

“Tell you what,” he held out his hand for Coulson to shake finding himself agreeing with the man if only to get rid of him. “You got it. You’re absolutely right. Well, uh, I’m going to go to my assistant, and we’ll make a date.”

He walked away from the man and out onto the floor. Pepper hadn’t seen him yet, which was probably a good thing, so here went the surprise.

“You look fantastic! I didn’t recognize you,” he said in a way of flattery. Pepper turned around, her smile dazzling and radiant, though it faded a bit in the shock.

“What are you doing here?” She seemed genuinely surprised.

“Just avoiding government agents.”

“Are you by yourself?”

“Yes. Where’d you get that dress?”

“Oh,” she said looking down. “It was a birthday present.”

“That’s great.”

“From you, actually.”

“Well, I got great taste.”

“Yes.”

Okay this was awkward. Tony tried to think and could see the dancers behind him. Bingo!

“You want to dance?”

“Oh, no,” Pepper said quickly.

“All right, come on.” He circled a hand around her wrist gently, leading her over to the dancers.

“No, thank you. No!”

He couldn’t tell if she was uncomfortable or annoyed from her breathing, but he caught a look on her face after they began to dance. He wanted to make this work. Especially now that he could see just how fantastic the woman in his arms was. Why hadn’t he noticed this before? Maybe he had, who knew?

“Am I making you uncomfortable?”

“Um…um. No. No!” The second denial coming out a bit more convincing than the first. She sounded a bit scared and nervous and sarcastic as she continued. “I always forget to wear deodorant and dance with my boss in front of everyone that I work with in a dress with no back.”

She laughed it off, but he could tell she wasn’t impressed with him.

“You look great and you smell great.”

“Oh, God.”

“But I could fire you if that would take the edge off,” he joked bringing a smile back to her face.

“I don’t…I actually don’t think that you could tie your shoes without me.”

“I’d make it a week.”

“Really?” She didn’t sound convinced.

“Sure,” he was confident about that one.

“What’s your social security number?”

Damn...double damn, she had him there. It was his own damn fault. He really should know his own number. He’d have to make a note to actually memorize that one. Pepper was waiting for an answer, so he’d half to give here one.

“Five.”

She made a face that told him she was amused. “Five?”

“Right,” he said still confident.

“Right,” she agreed before teasing again. “You’re missing just a couple of digits.”

“The other eight? So I got you for the other eight.”

She laughed out loud for a moment turning to hide it. After a moment, they caught each other’s gaze and things began to feel awkward. A good kind of awkward according to Tony, but if they were going to talk about that, they needed some place a bit more private.

“How about a little air?” He suggested smiling at her.

“Yes, I need some air.”

They made their way outside and away from the party. They were completely alone up on the walkway that overlooked the road alone. Tony leaned against the concrete, feeling the cool rough stone through his suit jacket.

“That was totally weird,” Pepper spoke up.

“Totally harmless,” he disagreed.

“It was totally not harmless, by the way. Everybody who I work with…”

“We’re dancing. No one’s even watching.”

“No, you know why?”

“I think you lost objectivity. I think they just…People…We just danced,” he argued.

“No, it was not just a dance,” she raised her voice. Her tone betrayed just how upset she was by it. “You don’t understand because you’re you. And everybody knows exactly who you are and how you are with girls and all of that, which is completely fine. But, you know, then me, you’re my boss, and I’m dancing with you.”

“I don’t think it was taken that way,” he said listening to her. He never thought she could be this passionate about stuff like this. For him, it was just a dance. People would get over it and all this arguing was really making him want to kiss her. And that, was kinda weird for him.

“No,” she continued. “Because it makes me look like the one who’s trying to…”

“I just think you’re overstating it.”

She couldn’t say exactly what she was thinking, but she knew he’d get it even if he denied it. “…you know, and we’re here, and then I’m…wearing this ridiculous dress, and then we were dancing like that and…”

She caught his gaze and she couldn’t help it. She’d been in love with Tony for a long time and maybe that was why she was so flustered. It had been her dream to be able to dance with him and to kiss him and to possibly…well she didn’t know, but it could be more. Slowly she leaned in part of the way and she felt Tony shift too.

Maybe they were just caught up in the moment, but both of them were smart rational people. They couldn’t do this. Not here, not right now. It didn’t feel right to either of them. Pepper pulled back a bit.

“I would like a drink, please,” she said trying to cover the even more awkward act. Just something to excuse herself from looking like a fool.

“Got it, okay.” Tony didn’t question it. If it was meant to happen it would happen. He began to walk away from her and heard her take a deep breath with a loud exhale. It sounded as frustrated as he felt.

“I would like a vodka martini, please.”

“Okay.”

“Very dry with olives, a lot of olives. Like, at least three olives.”

He made his way back in and returned to the bar. One of the bartenders was quick to serve him. “Two vodka martinis, extra dry, extra olives, extra fast. Make one of them dirty, will you?”

To ensure speedy service, he pulled out a fifty and dropped it into the jar. It did the trick as the bartender got to work. He leaned against the bar waiting patiently avoiding the bulk of the people in the room, trying not to make eye contact.

“Wow. Tony Stark.”

“Oh, hey.”

A woman stepped around him and into his sight. He knew this woman. Vanity Fair, Miss Brown…but for all that, no name came to mind. Oh well, woman had forgiven him for worse.

“Fancy seeing you here,” she patted her hands on the bar.

“Carrie,” was his best guess.

“Christine,” she corrected promptly keeping the smile on her face.

“That’s right.”

“You have a lot of nerve showing up here tonight,” she said, her tone mocking in every way. This wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation, nor would it end like the last one they’d had. “Can I at least get a reaction from you?”

He had no idea what she was talking about. If she meant the elaborate party, well that one was on Obie. “Panic, I would say panic is my reaction.”

“’Cause I was referring to your company’s involvement in this latest atrocity.”

He gestured towards the ceiling. “Yeah. They just put my name on the invitation. I don’t know what to tell you.”

She looked annoyed and very put off. “I actually almost bought it, hook, line, and sinker”

Now he was annoyed. What in the hell was she talking about? Maybe he could get her to stop beating around the bush and spit it out. “I was out of town for a couple of months, in case you didn’t hear.”

“Is this what you call accountability? It’s a town called Gulmira. Heard of it?”

Of course he had heard of it. It was Yinsen’s home and he’d never forget the name. In her hand was a series of photographs. Despite his anger, he took them calmly from her hands when she handed them over and flipped through them. The first was the picture of death, desolation in a square. The second was a picture of his spokesperson buddy with a few of his soldiers carrying a weapon’s crate. Stark Industries’ log was visible on the side. Next was a close up of a similar crate with an even better shot of the logo. The last was a fully operational Jericho missile system. He instantly felt sick.

“When were these taken?” He managed to keep his voice calm.

“Yesterday.”

He shook his head. “I didn’t approve any shipment.”

“Well, your company did,” she sounded accusing, as if this was all his fault.

“Well, I’m not my company.”

He needed to find Obie and get to the bottom of all of this. He was tired of the secret and the lies. This entire time, he thought that the man had his back, even agreed with him to some extent. Now he had proof that something was terribly wrong and he was going to find out who approved this.

Tony found the man outside in front of the media. This wasn’t the right time or place to do this, but he had to. Without a word, he swooped in, moving Obie away from the media. When a brave photographer stepped forward it was Obie who shooed him away with a quick, “Do you mind?”

Tony held out the pictures. He looked the older man directly in the eye before he made his accusations. “Have you seen these pictures? Huh? What’s going on?”

“Tony, Tony,” Obie led him further up the stairs to where Christine waited for a response to her own accusations. “You can’t afford to be this naïve.”

“You know what? I was naïve before, when they said, ‘Here’s the line. We don’t cross it. This is how we do business.’ If we’re double-dealing under the table…Are we?”

Tony had to know and from the lack of shock or change in Obie’s expression, he was sure he had an answer now. When the vultures asked for pictures Obie smirked.

“Let’s take a picture. Come on. Picture time!”

Tony was a bit numb. He could act like everything was fine. He’d done it his entire life. They weren’t done with this either. Until he got the answers he wanted, he wasn’t going to stop. As they stood in front of the flashing lights, faking their smiles…that was when Obadiah Stane dropped the bomb that Tony needed to hear.

“Tony. Who do you think locked you out? I was the one who filed the injunction against you. It was the only way I could protect you.”

With that, he stepped down and away from the billionaire making his way through the media as they called for questions. Tony stood, shocked still and silent in the spot he had been standing in. He almost couldn’t breathe. For the first time since his parents died, he felt the numbing stinging loss of someone. This time it was betrayal and not death, but it felt the same. He needed to get out of here…needed to go home and find out as much as he could about what was going on.

He had to stop it. This was what he had been waiting for. He had built his suit to protect him and to be something greater than the weapons he had built to protect soldiers and this country. Now he had a new goal…no, not a goal…a mission.

He made his way through the crowd grateful when the valet was pulling up to the curb with his car. Obie had probably said something on his way out and Tony couldn’t help but be angry by that. Still he took his keys and sped off back to his mansion to get back to work.

It was only after he parked the Audi that he remembered he left Pepper on the walkway…and that, in the end, was what truly crushed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, a long chapter! I didn't think that there was a good stopping point, so it kinda ran away from me. I hope you guys enjoy and please feed the muse with Kudos and Comments.
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party for side stories:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	10. The Next Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony makes his move to reclaim his weapons. Pepper finds out about Tony's secret project, and Obadiah makes his own plans for the future.

“The 15 mile hike to the outskirts of Gulmira can only be described as a decent into hell, into a modern day Heart of Darkness. Simple farmers and herders from peaceful villages have been driven from their homes, displaced from their lands by war lords emboldened by a new-found power. Villagers have been forced to take shelter in whatever crude dwellings they can find in the ruins of other villages, or here in the remnants of an old Soviet smelting plant.”

Twist and twist and make a fist. Twist and twist and roll and flex. Tony listened to the news on the TV, trying hard not to think of anything. It was hard with the emotional roller coaster he’d been on for the past few days. Between Obie’s declaration of betrayal, Pepper returning to her professional demeanor in his presence after he forgot about her that night, and the unexpected absence of Steve who had been dragged back to New York by Coulson for some unknown reason, he was beginning to feel at a loss. He knew he was lonely. He knew he was angry, but that wasn’t a very constructive outlet for him. So instead he watched the news.

Reports of the violence, not just in Gulmira, but all over the region had escalated. Images of his captors would flash across his screen. He’d been surprised they’d survived at first, but then again, they were from a corner of the world often ravaged by war and destruction. That made its people a tougher breed than the privileged men and woman who lived in fortified US cities or Hydra controlled Europe and some of Asia.

Tony had dove into finishing the Mark Three. Right now he was finishing the fit on his glove. It needed to be tight, so that the repulsor technology would work at its peak. He’d taken his little flying and crashing incident with Steve and turned it into an advantage after he got the stabilizers to do what he wanted them too. Now the mechanics would take the pressure of the backlash and adjust to keep his arm steady if he had to fire again. No more flying into super soldiers who took the impact of the wall behind them. Basically he’d made a nice stable energy gun without the recoil which was nice and served to keep his mind of thinking about everything else going on.

Now he couldn’t help but think about it a little. The same images he’d seen over the last few days mixed in with a few others on the screen. He saw his weapons being fired, saw the leader standing above his men and those they were attacking like he was king of the fucking mountain. The man was smoking a cigarette and looking directly into the camera like he didn’t have a care in the world. Tony should have killed him when he had the chance, but his focus had been on Yinsen and for all he knew, the man had been dead under the rocks that fell on him.

He heard the machine gun fire and had to fight down the images of the convoy battle, the event that started all of this off. His hand began to shake, but he kept it steady, twisting again, listening to the comforting hum of a power up and the whirl of the well-made machinery around his arm. It was that comfort that stopped the shaking and the fear. He wasn’t so defenseless now.

“Recent violence has been attributed to a group of foreign fighters referred to by locals as the Ten Rings. As you can see, these men are heavily armed and on a mission. A mission that could prove fatal to anyone who stands in their way. With no political will or international pressure, there’s very little hope for these refugees. Around me, a woman begging for news on her husband, who was kidnapped by insurgents, either forced to join their militia…”

By this point Tony had stood up, walking over to the makeshift kitchen chucking his long screw driver at the counter carelessly. He made his way back to stand in front of the couch. He turned to lift his hand and fired. The sound echoed off the walls and he knocked out several lights bulbs. One light was hit, swinging from a single post from the ceiling and he missed the ending of the sentence.

“Desperate refugees clutch yellow photographs, holding them up to anyone who will stop. A child’s simple question, “Where are my mother and father?” There’s very little hope for these refugees, refugees who can only wonder who, if anyone, will help.”

Tony looked at himself in the glass that made up the entry way. Now that he had an idea as to just how bad things were in the region and he knew he now had a more efficient way to stop these guys, he could no longer sit back and not do anything about it. His father’s legacy, the one passed down to him, the one that he had made grander and more efficient with the growth of technology and the desperate need to keep the world safe…it had been yanked from his grasp by a bunch of greedy and self-important men. The high tech weapons were being made to hurt the people he intended to protect and that left him with two options now that he was aware of it. It was either get the weapons back, which was the least likely scenario, or repeat what he’d done when he escaped and destroy them.

He couldn’t waltz into a board meeting and do this diplomatically as no one would listen to him now, not with his extensive track record for being eccentric and making horrible decisions. It was a miracle that Pepper, Rhodey, and Steve had stayed through it all. Maybe they could still see the good in him, even though he really couldn’t see it in himself. How they could, he didn’t know, though it was important to him that through all the blunders, they had stayed. Rhodey and Steve had stayed for three months in Afghanistan just to look for him and put their careers on the line and he hadn’t even properly thanked them for that. Pepper had stayed, never giving up hope that he would return. He should have just kissed her that night, despite her protests and the awkward air. Cursing silently he pulled himself together. This wasn’t the time and place for this. He had a decision to make.

Now looking at himself through the glass of the entrance to his lab, he saw his reflection. He saw how tired he was…how worn down. It reached a point where he couldn’t look at his face anymore. Raising his glove back up, he shot through the glass in rapid succession, successfully destroying the entire entrance. He took several deep breaths realizing what he’d just done. So much for security, though in reality, it didn’t matter. What mattered was in those few seconds of destruction, he’d made the decision…made up his mind about the path he was going to take.

The suit, Mark III as a whole, had been finished for days. When Tony had first seen it, he marveled at his own genius. He’d finished all the little tweaks it needed, had the weapons systems put on line and armed. Time for a do or die test run. There would be no turning back after this, so he changed into his flight suit and stepped up to the plate.

Along with Jarvis, he’d assembled his robotic arms to put the suit on him bit by bit. It was efficient for now, he had plans to improve the speed of the suit going into place. He had plans, but for now this would do. One fully equipped and the face plate came down, he was off, shooting into the air and flying towards his destination…Gulmira.

He could see the bombs rain down on the people. See the trail of smoke they left in the sky. He could see the dirt and sand that flew up into the air with each explosion painting the bright blue with gray and black ash. So many people running below him, some dragged from their homes. Men were thrown against the wall, guns held in their hands as wives and children were being dragged towards trucks. So many screams of fear and pain and sorrow…too many mixed with the sound of rapid automatic machine gun fire.

From the air, he watched as a father and son broke free from their oppressors, running to hug each other one final time. The fear on the father’s face as they were yanked apart harshly, son thrown back to his screaming mother and sister while the father faced certain death by public execution. Men were shouting orders, one man in particular stood out. It was the spokesman from the cave.

The father fell to the ground and the spokesman began to kick him, stepping on his ribs with a force that could break them. They yanked the man to his knees, gun aiming for his head as the screaming, the begging continued. He was close, he could do this.

Flying low he dropped down, landing on one knee. It wasn’t exactly how he wanted, but it was something he could work on later. The more pressing matter was the man had started to shoot him. With a balled metal fist, he hit the man, sending him in the air and into a wall on the second floor of a semi-destroyed home. Blasting one man, two men, three before turning and…hostages. Three men holding guns to women in front of him. The women were holding their young children tightly to them. One had an infant in her arms. Another had his gun to a teenage boy off to the side of the truck. Behind them, another man held a gun at the women in the truck. All of them daring the metal man to make a move.

Lowering his hands, he used his targeting system. Defining the five men as targets he let weapons fly, quickly and effectively killing them. Now where did the spokesman go? He looked towards the direction the man had run when he arrived and headed that way, noticing the boy and his father embrace once more, this time in relief. The boy watched him as he walked towards the wall of the broken house. Through the wall, he could hear the sound of a sat phone being dialed. That would not do at all. With a flair that was all him, he punched through the wall and grabbed the man yanking him through. The man landed with a harsh grunt, the phone flying out of his grip.

“He’s all yours,” he said to the townspeople, unsure of whether they could understand him. They would get the message as he lifted off, up into the air.

He made his way to the next village a few miles away. Minutes for him and that was when he saw his Jericho. Jarvis silently confirmed it through his HUD and boom. Something hit him, sending him into a spiral to the ground hard. His hit kicked up some dust, but besides some scratches on his suit, he was fine…for now anyways. Crawling up, he peaked over the crater his body had made to see what hit him. A tank waited in the distance, gun shifting to aim and shoot him again. It fired and all Tony had to do was move a bit, letting it soar past him. He raised his arm, causing a missile of his own to come out, fly, and hit. It had a bit of a delay, but as soon as Tony turned his back, he heard the loud explosion behind him. More idiots began to fire at him, but he was getting this done, starting with those missiles.

Ignoring the gun fire, he put his repulsors on high and let the explosion do the rest. He’d done it. It wasn’t over and probably wouldn’t be for a while, but this mission was complete. He took to the skies for a smooth ride home.

It only took twenty minutes before a basic cell phone tone rang through the helmet. He almost thought to ignore it, wondering who would be calling him, but thought better of it. It’d look suspicious if he didn’t answer and no one needed to know he wasn’t at home where he should be. Rhodey’s picture showed up on his HUD as he answered.

“Hello?”

“Tony?”

“Who’s this?”

“It’s Rhodes.”

“Sorry, hello?”

“I said it’s Rhodes.”

Crap. Tony wasn’t expecting Rhodey to call him. Especially not after the last conversation they’d had. Though he’d initially wanted the man’s help on this thing, once being turned down he’d thought better of it. Yes he trusted Rhodey, but who was to say that once they were done, the other man would turn around and turn the suit over to the military. This wasn’t good. He made a mental note to work on those security protocols once he got home.

“Speak up, please.”

“What in the hell is that noise?” It sounded like wind, but who knew with Tony.

“Oh, yeah,” Tony said having to come up with a quick lie. “I’m driving with the top down.”

Rhodey had to put a finger in his other ear to hear the other man. “Yeah, well, I need your help right now.”

“It’s funny how that works, huh?”

“Yeah.” Rhodey didn’t sound like he was in the mood to play. “Speaking of funny, we’ve got a weapons depot that was just blown up a few clicks from where you were being held captive.”

“Well, that’s a hot spot. Sounds like someone stepped in and did your job for you, huh?” Tony went for a bit flippant because that was the old him. The new him was still pissed, but also pretty damn pleased with himself.

“Why do you sound out of breath, Tony?”

He rolled his eyes even though no one could see him. He almost told Rhodey it was because he was just shot at and he blew up the depot and the adrenaline was still pumping, but held back.

“I’m not, I was just jogging in the canyon.”

“I thought you were driving.”

“Right. I was driving to the canyon, where I’m going to jog.”

Tony was a horrible liar and Rhodey almost called him out on it, but decided it didn’t matter. He needed this mystery solved. There wasn’t any time for games when they had air crafts going after this thing to take it out. He needed confirmation that whatever this was, Tony didn’t have anything to do with it.

“You sure you don’t have any tech in that area I should know about?”

“Nope!”

Stark could hear the yelling in the background. Something about a Bogey, but it wasn’t clear.

“Okay, good, ‘cause I’m staring at one right now, and it’s about to be blown to kingdom come.”

Tony heard them before he spotted them. He turned to see a pair of military planes behind him. He hadn’t planned on this.

“That’s my exit,” he said ending the call.

It became a bit of a chase after that. He turned spinning through the air, increasing his speed to give the air crafts and his suit workouts. At least he was getting a thorough test in today. He jet through the air speeding at supersonic classified speed. Take that Air Force.

_Inbound missile_

Jarvis’ warning was a little unexpected, but he was grateful.

“Flares!” He commanded quickly. The flares did their job, but the force of the blast sent him flying. He began to fall, spinning in the air until the system quickly recalibrated and his stabilizers and flaps helped him correct himself. He was off again, but the planes were still at his heels. Now they were shooting at him, and hitting him.

“Deploy flaps,” he ordered cutting his boosters off and went sailing, the planes flying past him. He snuck up on one of the planes, holding on to the underbelly. Maybe he should come clean to Rhodey. He could at least try and call him back and see if he could get the planes off his ass.

“Hello?” Rhodey sounded annoyed.

“Hi, Rhodey, it’s me.”

“It’s who?”

“I’m sorry, it is me. You asked. What you were asking about is me.”

Now Rhodey was mad. “No, see, this isn’t a game. You do not send civilian equipment into my active war zone. You understand that?”

“This is not a piece of equipment. I’m in it. It’s a suit. It’s me!” Tony was yelling at this point. He was done, so done right now. He wanted to deal with this another day, but right now he wanted the planes gone and to be back in the safety of his lab. No more for today, he’d reached his limits.

Then the plane turned and he was facing the other plane. Things couldn’t get any worse. He’d thought too soon as the plane began to roll…really roll and he couldn’t hang on any longer. He flipped through the air and saw the other plane coming, but there was nothing he could do. He hit the wing of the plane, taking a good chunk of it with him. There was no way for the pilot to keep it in the air. First things first, he needed to get control of the suit. Despite his earlier panic, he was Tony ‘Bad Ass’ Stark. He could do this. Spinning in the air, the boosters and stabilizers kicked in just in time for him to see the plane explode…and the ejected pilot spinning towards the ground. The man was tugging at the side of his seat, the chute not deploying. He went into a dive, using the boosters to catch up to the falling man.

_You’ve been reengaged. Execute evasive maneuver._

“Keep going,” he said hoping the other pilot had enough morals not to shoot him down this close to the man he was desperately trying to save.

With a quick punch to the chair’s chute controls, the white fabric deployed just in time that the pilot was spared a death by bloody splatter against the rocks below. Tony did loops watching as the sensors telling him he was reengaged went away. The plane in the air was turning around.

“Tony, you still there?” Rhodey came back over the phone.

“Hey, thanks!”

“Oh, my God, you crazy son of a bitch,” Rhodey laughed in relief. “You owe me a plane. You know that, right?”

Tony laughed amused even after his near brush with death for the second time that day. “Yeah, well, technically, he hit me so…Now are you going to come by and see what I’m working on?”

“No, no, no, no, no, no, the less I know, the better. Now, what am I supposed to tell the press?”

“Uh…training exercise. Isn’t that the usual BS?”

“It’s not that simple.”

~~~~~~~~

Apparently it was that simple. The next morning, Rhodey was on the news talking about the training accident. Tony had watched it, via the internet when he returned home. It’d taken longer for him to get back seeing as he was tired and the suit was battered and scratched to hell. It was also due to all that, his machines were being difficult trying to get the suit off of him again.

“Hey, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow,” he yelled at the mechanic arms tugging and twisting.

_It is a tight fit, sir._ Tony continued to verbally complain. _Sir, the more you struggle, the more this is going to hurt._

“Be gentle. This is my first time. I designed this to come off, so…ow, hey! I really should be able to…”

_Please try not to move, sir._

“What’s going on here?”

Tony paused before turning slowly to see Pepper standing there. Her voice had been quiet, almost shocked. It seemed that the last two days were filled with him telling the people he cared about most the truth about what he was doing.

“Let’s face it. This is not the worst thing you’ve caught me doing.”

“Are those bullet holes?”

He really didn’t want to answer her. From her tone he could tell she already knew. She shook her head when he didn’t answer her right away. She looked at him a bit sad, a bit exasperated. It seemed as this was the last straw with her. Silently she made her way over the broken glass of the lab entrance and back up the stairs.

~~~~~~~~

It had been a week since the metal man had attacked them in Gulmira…months since Stark had escaped. He knew they were one in the same. Stark was the only person who could find any sentiment in weak men. The man had sympathy for the doctor when he was dying and now weak men and their families.

Raza had made the mistake of underestimating him. Stark was a brilliant man, capable of doing so much. He was the first engineer to spit in the face of Hydra. The man was the second wealthiest man in the world next to Schmidt and no one was touching the Red Skull and his wealth of nations.

Still, Raza couldn’t help but to think that he could still rule the world. Having Stark technology was the first step. Once he had that, he’d be able to at least rule this country and its warring neighbors…the countries that not even Schmidt had found a good way to control. It would put him in a bargaining position with Hydra.

He’d been surprised when Dr. Zola offered him money to attack the military convoy and kill the dark haired man in a pricey suit. It had been more shocking that the man he was after was Tony Stark. He had the money and he’d save Stark for the weapons. The miscalculation cost him dearly. When Stark escaped, he was without the Jericho and the possible retribution from Hydra was eminent. The fact that he had the arrogance to demand more money to kill Stark was there too, but it had been a long shot for Hydra from the start. There was luck on his side when he hadn’t heard anything from the organization in the end.

More luck came when he started to receive Stark weapons from the black market. Despite news that the factory was being shut down by Stark himself, someone was keeping it running, working against the man. That would be his ticket back from all of the trouble Stark had caused him. Then there was the suit they’d found.

As soon as Stark escaped, they searched for him. The man was strong, but the desert was stronger. He would not have been able to cross it without food and water in the heat of the day. They hadn’t found him, but they had found the metal monstrosity he’d used to escape. It took weeks, but they had dug up every piece out of the sand. Raza had seen the opportunity when one of his men offered up the helmet he had found.

It took weeks to put it together. They’d managed to find Stark’s diagrams in the cave and piece it together. It had been so far back that the large explosion hadn’t damaged anything inside of the prison cell. It had taken much effort, but they were rewarded when they assembled the suit in its entirety. All it took was a few contacts and he’d gotten through to Obadiah Stane. Stane had expressed interest in the suit he had. Especially after the red and golden metal man…no Stark had attacked them.

The man had agreed to fly out to see what they had uncovered. Stane had admitted he was intrigued by the concept of a single man, fully operational battle suit. The fact that Tony had built it, crude as it was, was the winning ticket all around. Now they were watching the black SUVs pull up to their camp in the dead of night. No one could know about this visit, not Stark and not Hydra.

Stane stepped out of the vehicles with his men and approached Raza, a smirk across his face.

“Welcome,” when the man glanced over at the large red wound on the left side of his skull with that smirk he elaborated. “Compliments of Tony Stark.”

“If you killed him when you were supposed to, you’d still have a face.”

Raza smirked. There was a good chance that Stane had something to do with Hydra’s request. Still, the price they had been paid was far from satisfactory.

“We were paid trinkets to kill a prince.”

“Show me the weapon,” Stane demanded, getting quickly down to business. He was acting as though he hadn’t heard Raza, but it didn’t matter anymore.

“Come. Leave your guards outside.”

Stane followed him to the large tent at the center. Raza allowed him to enter first, saw the man pause when he caught sight of the metal monstrosity in the center of the room. It was his prize piece…for now.

“His escape bore unexpected fruit.”

“So this is how he did it,” Stane sounded genuinely impressed as he looked over the machine closely.

“This is only a first, crude effort. Stark has perfected his design. He has made a masterpiece of death.”

Stane circled around the suit. Raza could see the man’s thoughts by the expression on his face. Stane liked it, they’d both knew it. It was time to negotiate.

“A man with a dozen of these can rule all of Asia. And you dream of Stark’s throne.”

Stane glanced back at him, confusion clouding his expression. His fingers were brushing over the hole in the chest piece.

“We have a common enemy. If you are willing to go into business with me, I will give you these designs as a gift,” he said as he poured the man a cup of tea. “And in turn, I hope you’ll repay me with a gift of iron soldiers.”

He held out the tea to the older man smiling. This was a bargain that would work in both of their favors. Stane would be foolish to refuse. The man approached him, smiling and pleasing as he put a hand on Raza’s shoulder. Then he heard it, the high pitched mechanical buzzing directly in his ear. He gasped, his body going limp in the chair. A trickle of blood fell from his ear. He couldn’t move.

_“This is the only gift you shall receive.”_ Stane was speaking in Urdu. Though he continued what he was saying in English as he closed the device he held and slipped it into his pocket. “Technology. It’s always been you Achilles’ heel in this part of the world. Don’t worry. It’ll only last for 15 minutes. That’s the least of your problems.”

The man took the techy looking ear plugs from his ears as he spoke before he made his way past Raza. Stane ran a hand over Raza’s head injury, before ducking out of the tent. He parted the tent flap and stepped out to see that his men had done their part. All of Raza’s men were disarmed and on their knees, hands on their heads as though they were being arrested. Stane was pleased.

“Crate up the armor and the rest of it,” he ordered. “All right, let’s finish up here.”

He made his way back to the car to wait. The sound of machine gunfire, ensured that his orders were being followed. Raza and his men were dead and that was the way he wanted it. It was the price for their failure.

Stane had made his own mistakes, but they weren’t nearly as bad as Raza’s. He had every intention of getting rid of Tony, though his first attempt had failed. When he had contracted Hydra, telling them about Tony’s demonstration, he thought they would personally take care of the man. After all, Tony was one of the biggest thorns in their sides. When Zola had sent him the ransom message from Raza and his men, he had been told that Zola had not bothered to send it forward to Schmidt. Hydra wouldn’t bow to the demands of bottom feeders who were paid exactly what they were worth. Stane had been told to deal with it instead, making sure Raza paid for his meddling when he’d been given a kill order.

Once Tony returned and after all the stunts he pulled by attempting to shut off the weapons factory, killing one thorn and his men was a great stress reliever. At least, it made him feel better after weeks of plotting and planning against Tony. He’d even gone as far as to send weapons overseas under the table as he always had done. He should have known, they’d end up in this idiots hands.

Raza didn’t realize what he truly had with the suit. He’d also underestimated Stane as much as he had Stark. Stane thought that Tony might have meddled in Gulmira, but now that he had concrete evidence. He was going to have a suit designed that would be bigger and better than anything Tony could design and then he would kill the man even if he had to do it with his own two hands.

He picked up his cell phone, dialed the number he needed, and placed it to his ear. When the person on the other end answered, he began to make his demands like the king only he knew himself to be. Tony had his big secrets, now Stane had his own.

“Set up Sector 16 underneath the arc reactor, and I’m going to want this data masked. Recruit our top engineers. I want a prototype right away.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a bit tired this weekend from making a weekend trip to the mountains so I'll make this short. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and let me know what you think with comments and kudos!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party for side stories:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	11. The Seeds of Ultimate Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony asks Pepper to do some digging around. Stane is furious he's been caught.

Tony had the entryway to the lab fixed. Now that he knew Obadiah was working against him to some extent, security was a priority. Jarvis now had several protocols in place should something happen to Tony and only Pepper or Steve were capable of accessing the AI. Even then, they wouldn’t be able to access the data on the suits. As much as he hated to do it, he’d ordered Jarvis to erase all the data from the server and also created a little computer virus into the system so that Stark Industries would be in complete disarray should something happen to him again.

Once everything was in place, he worked out all the scratches and dents out of his suit. He wasn’t done, but he also wasn’t sure how far Obie had gone in selling his weapons from under him. With the injunction in place, he’d found that there were restrictions in place that limited his access from his home interface. It wasn’t too realistic for him to go waltzing into Stark Industries either…not with Obadiah watching his every move and capable of physically stopping him or at the very least, having security escort him from his own company.

He needed a different approach. Steve may do the task he had in mind when he got back in the next day or so from his impromptu trip to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s main base. Unfortunately, that was a lot of explaining and there was the chance that the man’s morals may prevail. Steve may be a soldier first and understood the sacrifices Tony would be trying to make, but the man had a strange code he went by that only he knew all the complex rules to. Tony knew some of the rules, but not enough to gage a true reaction. Rogers was out.

Rhodey was the next option, but he was actually crossed off quicker than Steve. The man had told him after Gulmira that he didn’t want to know what Tony was up to. The less he knew, the better and Tony understood that. On some level he respected that as the man had a good career with the military and thankfully was too valuable to be shipped out to the harsher battlefields.

That left the only other person he could count on. Pepper was still pissed off at him, so much so, that she had been avoiding him since discovering him with the bullet holes in his suit. He would have to give her some sort of answer to her questions, but right now she was the one who would take it better. Pepper was slightly easier to predict as far as her feelings went, mostly because he now knew that she actually cared about him. He’d been blind to that before and now that he knew, both her feelings and acknowledging his own, he knew he didn’t deserve her and wanted to protect her from this. Still, as an employee of Stark Industries, she could do what he needed without risk of getting hurt. No one would stop her, not even Obadiah Stane.

He had Jarvis call her down to the lab. Pepper initially refused, but Tony had Jarvis tell her it was work related and important. He was a bit relieved when he heard the sound of clanking heels and the tone of buttons being pushed on the keypad. He’d replaced the glass in the entrance way to something that couldn’t been seen through, but her silhouette was still evident as she opened the door.

He was messing with the suit. There was always something to tweak and after she’d seen it, there was no point in hiding it from her. She held her head up high and had an air of professionalism. This wasn’t going to be easy to ask of her, but he’d made his choice. There was no going back.

“Hey. You busy? You mind if I send you on an errand? I need you to go to my office. You’re going to hack into the mainframe and you’re going to retrieve all the recent shipping manifests. This is a lock chip. This’ll get you in,” he said quickly handing what looked like a large black flash drive to her. She looked down at it, dismay crossing her face. “It’s probably under Executive Files. If not, they put it on a ghost drive, in which case you need to look for the lowest numeric heading.”

“And what do you plan to do with this information if I bring it back here?”

“Same drill,” he said with steel in his voice. She needed to know he was serious about this, even if it swayed her decision to help. “They’ve been dealing under the table, and I’m going to stop them. I’m going to find my weapons and destroy them.”

She shook her head slightly. “Tony, you know that I would help you with anything, but I cannot help you if you’re going to start all of this again.”

“There is nothing except this. There’s no art opening. There is no benefit. There is nothing to sign. There is the next mission and nothing else.”

“Is that so? Well, then, I quit.” She sounded sad, a bit resigned, but at the same time skeptical as she tossed the lock chip on the work bench. It was strange to hear that tone from her when she so often pledged to do anything and everything he required of her as his assistant. Yes, this was dangerous and he’d be the first to admit that it was a bit fucked up, but it was something he had to do. Now how could he explain that to her? How could he stop her and get her to listen?

“You stood by my side all these years while I reaped the benefits of destruction. And now that I’m trying to protect the people that I put in harm’s way, you’re going to walk out?”

That seemed to work as she spun on her heels and looked at him. “You’re going to kill yourself, Tony. I’m not going to be a part of it.”

“I shouldn’t be alive, unless it was for a reason. I’m not crazy. Pepper. I just finally know what I have to do, and I know in my heart that it’s right.”

She took a deep breath and walked back over. Carefully, she picked up the drive and held it with both of her hands. There were probably a million things she could have said to him. The same was true of him to her. Pepper looked at him, still a bit sad, but her tone spoke of her conviction.

“You’re all I have, too, you know.”

~~~~~~~~

Pepper rode the elevator up to the executive floor. Tony’s office was, in typical style, the grandest office on the top floor of the building. Obadiah’s office was here too, but on the opposite side of the floor. She glanced towards his offices, not seeing anyone as she carefully made her way to the closed doors of Tony’s office. It wasn’t uncommon for her to be here. Tony often sent her to get work from his office, when he actually did it that is. Many times, she ended up doing the work for him and got his signature, so she’d also been known to stay in the office for hours, using it for what it was meant for. Sometimes she even secretly called it her office, since Tony was hardly there anyway.

Though she was being cautious, she had several excuses to explain being here and in the room. Quietly, she pushed open one of the doors, shutting it behind her trying to be equally quiet. Paranoia seeped in a bit as she kept checking behind her as she hurried her pace to the desk and plopping her purse onto the surface. When she tried to access the computer, a log in screen popped up and she began to dig around for the drive Tony had given her. Tony’s log in wouldn’t work here due to the injunction and she wasn’t about to put anyone else at risk by using their log in data if she could help it. The drive had to work, so she plugged it in. For a moment, a security breach warning popped up and she held her breath as the drive worked its magic, granting her the access she would need to get onto the computer. She sighed in relief and hoped that the breach hadn’t been triggered anywhere else in the building.

It took her less than 30 seconds to find the ghost drives. The shipping manifests were easy to find too, kept in two separate ghost drives. Clicking on the next one, it brought up schematics on what looked like a large suit, similar to Tony’s. It was labeled Sector 16.

“Sector 16?” She said softly to herself. “What are you up to, Obadiah?”

She let that file copy too. Tony had to know what he was up against if Obadiah was plotting something. The next folder contained a pair of videos. The first came up. Men with their faces covered were surrounding a man with a sack on his head. They held their guns to him as one read off of a piece of paper. The man closest to the prisoner ripped the sack off of his head to reveal Tony. Pepper’s mouth fell open in shock and pulled up a translation program.

“You did not tell us that the target you paid us to kill was the great Tony Stark. As you can see Dr. Zola…your deception and lies will cost you dearly. The price to kill Tony Stark has just gone up.”

“Oh, my God,” she murmured switching to the next video. This time, it was Arnim Zola on the television screen.

“As you can see, Obadiah Stane, things did not go as planned. These men are asking for more money and resources to kill Tony Stark. Hydra does not give in to petty threats and although we will still kill Stark at our leisure, I would propose a bargain. It is beneath us to destroy these vermin ourselves and therefore we shall leave it to you to find a way to destroy them and the secrets they now hold. Do so, and we will make sure to put an end to Stark and the next viable opportunity. You may have to be the one to get your hands a bit dirty, Stane, however I am sure the reward far outweighs the ugliness of what must be done. If you accept our terms, please contact us when you have done the deed and we will negotiate the terms of Stark's death.”

Pepper couldn’t breathe. She should have known that Hydra would want to kill Tony, but the fact that Obadiah was the one who paved the way. He had to have done it. No one else knew that Tony was supposed to be in Afghanistan. It was true that Stane had lost much of his power he’d gained by Howard Stark’s death once Tony, as heir, took over the reins of the company. Tony still valued the man and his worth, made sure Obadiah earned his due, and trusted the man fully in matters of business. This was the ultimate betrayal and for what? Money and status? The company?

Now wasn’t the time to think about that. Tony had given her a job, so she copied everything she could from the drive. She became so engrossed in her work that she was surprised when a voice spoke into the room.

“So,” Obadiah said from the door. “What are we going to do about this? Hmmm?”

The files were still copying as Stane stepped into the room, closer to her and the computer. He stopped by Tony’s makeshift bar and began to pour himself a drink.

“I know what you’re going through, Pepper.” He started to smile, but after a second, thought differently. “Tony. He always gets the good stuff, doesn’t he?”

Obadiah leaned down to smell the liquor in its bottle. Pepper tried her best not to look nervous as she smiled and nodded. Stane was watching her carefully and she needed to stall him just a few seconds longer. When he turned and poured another drink, she used the newspaper on the desk to cover the drive so that if he got closer he couldn’t see. Just a little longer and the files would be done downloading. He walked around the desk just as the computer said download complete and she brought the hot rod screen saver back up. Stane wouldn’t be able to see a thing unless it was obvious. She gave a confident little smirk, despite the fact that he was making her nervous. He came a little too close to her as he continued his little monologue.

“I was so happy when he came home. It was like we got him back from the dead,” he moved to lean against the desk on the other side of her. “Now I realize, well, Tony never really did come home, did he? He left a part of himself in that cave. Breaks my heart.”

Pepper schooled her features. Lies, all of his words were lies. He was the reason Tony was like this. The anger of his betrayal ran through her, hot and grounding. The reason Tony had changed was thanks to this man…no not man. He didn’t deserve to be considered a human being. Several colorful replacements surged through her mind, but she wouldn’t say them. No, if they could get the upper hand and turn this around. It may be too late though. Who knew how long he had been standing in the door before speaking. Had he heard anything from the videos? She took a few breaths…calm…she needed to remain calm and keep up the act.

“Well, he’s a complicated person. He’s been through a lot. I think…I think he’ll be all right.”

Stane took a sip of his drink and smacked his lips at her words. “You are a very rare woman. Tony doesn’t know how lucky he is.”

She smiled and laughed a bit. It was an act, though she couldn’t help, but to blush at the compliment.

“Thank you. Thanks,” she stood, gathering her bag. “I’d better get back there.”

She grabbed the paper and the drive beneath quickly before going around the desk. Adjusting her purse strap, she carried the paper with the drive inside in her hand. She could feel it through the pages and it reassured her.

“Is that today’s paper?”

She froze. Not good…not good at all. Why couldn’t anything be simple?

“Yes,” she said turning to look at him. He approached her.

“Do you mind? Puzzle,” he took it from her.

“Of course,” she said with a nod.

“Take care,” he said and she clenched her fist. When Obadiah had taken hold of the paper, she let go, allowing the drive to slide into her palm. She was lucky he didn’t see it. Keeping up the calm, she walked carefully over to the stairs. She glanced back at Obadiah once before looking down at the drive in her hand. It was done and she had done it. While she usually didn’t take the stairs, they were safer and Obadiah hadn’t followed her out. That probably meant he was checking Tony’s computer and saw what she had done. She could make it to the bottom of the stairs before he could possibly give chase. There were still people on this floor, she was safe.

“Ms. Potts?” Pepper looked up to see the agent she’d met at the press conference when Tony had gotten back. Coulson. “We had an appointment. Did you forget about our appointment?”

They had to get out of here. Maybe he could help her and Tony in better ways than this madness.

“Nope, right now. Come with me.”

“Right now?”

“We’re going to have it right now. Yeah, walk with me.”

“Okay.”

He wanted a debriefing, she was going to give him one. Coulson was from some sort of government agency, they could do something about Stane. She glanced up to see Stane, looking over the railing one floor up. So he had pursued her. She risked a smile.

“I’m going to give you the meeting of your life. Your office.”

~~~~~~~~

Stane was furious. How could this happen? Damn Tony and Pepper Potts both. He’d seen her walk through the lobby with Agent Coulson. In a matter of hours, S.H.I.E.L.D. would be coming to stop him. Rogers himself would come with the fury of a super soldier at his back. The old saying about playing with fire, well Stane wasn’t about to get burned. All the money, the time, the resources…it would not fail him, not now. He needed the technology to power his suit and he needed it now.

He stormed to where the scientists were working on studying the reactor. They were gathered around the thing, taking notes, the lead scientist on the phone. Stane heard him telling whoever was on the other line that he had to call them back before slamming the phone onto its cradle. The rest of the scientists scattered at his noticeably foul mood.

“Uh…Mr. Stane? Sir, we’ve explored what you asked us, and it seems as though there’s a little hiccup. Actually….”

“A hiccup?”

“Yes, to power the suit, sir, the technology actually doesn’t exist. So it’s…”

“Wait, wait, wait. The technology?” He put an arm around the man and squeezed his shoulder. “William, here is the technology. I’ve asked you to simply make it smaller.”

“Okay, sir, and that’s what we’re trying to do, but honestly, it’s impossible.”

Stane let him go, stepped away, before turning back and yelled. “Tony Stark was able to build this in a cave! With a box of scraps!”

Stane was in the scientist’s face His finger digging into the man’s chest. Still the man didn’t back down.

“Well, I’m sorry. I’m not Tony Stark.”

Stane took deep breaths, puffing through his anger. This wasn’t going to do. He couldn’t hurt the man in front of him. He needed him too much. This was a rational problem with a solution. There had to be a solution. Pacing a minute in front of the controls it hit him. He didn’t need the scientists or the engineers. They weren’t Tony Stark.

He began to laugh. It was his lucky day. If Tony was the only person who could miniaturize the reactor, then that was where he needed to be. It was so simple. Tony had his solution and it was sitting in the man’s chest. So simple that for once, he didn’t mind dirtying his hands one more time. His eyes could see the prize.

All he had to do was take it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry about not updating last week. By the time I realized I hadn't done it, it was Wednesday and I just decided it was better if I gave everyone a double update tonight. Hope you enjoy and as always I like Kudos and comments!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party for side stories:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	12. Iron Monger VS Iron Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obadiah and Tony duke it out dragging Pepper, Rhodey, and Steve into the fray.

Tony wasn’t worried. Pepper was a pro at everything he asked of her. He may be a little biased, but he always thought of her as the best. Still, it had gotten dark outside and he had sent her on his little errand a few hours ago. It shouldn’t have taken that long, not that he was worried.

Still, he couldn’t focus on the tasks in front of him. The thoughts going through his head were distracting him. Jarvis was supposed to tell him when she returned, though he wondered if maybe she’d gone home for the night to let him stew since he had once again upset her. Maybe he should call her, just to make sure she was okay…that she’d gotten the information he needed.

Of course, he’d left his phone upstairs from when he’d talked, well argued, with Steve earlier. The man had returned to Malibu, but was spending the evening at the office to catch up on what he missed while he was in New York. Apparently he’d been called back to be reprimanded for something that wasn’t his fault and wanted to straighten it out immediately instead of coming back to the house. Tony didn’t want to admit that he missed the man’s company and he’d taken the teasing a bit too far which meant Steve would probably be sleeping on the couch in his office tonight.

Tony grumbled a bit to the airy space of his lab before leaving the sanctuary to go up and search for the phone. When he reached the top of the stairs, he could see the little black device sitting on the coffee table right where he left it and as he took a step towards it, the phone came to life signaling that someone was calling him. Just his luck as he looked down and could see it was the one person that had been on his mind all day long.

He hit the button to answer pressing the phone to his ear, when he heard the high pitched buzzing noise. Pepper was calling his name on the phone, asking if he was there, but he couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, and felt the hand steading him as he slowly fell back against the couch. The phone was taken from his hand and the call ended when he realized some of what was going on.

“Breathe. Easy, easy,” Obadiah said, holding the little device up so he could see it at the angle he was frozen in. As he turned the device off, he continued his monologue. “You remember this one, right? It’s a shame the government didn’t approve it. There’s so many applications for causing short-term paralysis and organizations that will pay money for this kind of technology. Hydra…The Ten Rings…S.H.I.E.L.D….not that Rogers would let the latter act on the desire. I’ll never understand him and his motives or ideals.”

He stepped around the couch, turning Tony’s face to look up at him. He smirked as he took out his ear plugs. “Ah, Tony. When I…ah…ordered the hit on you, through Hydra I might add, I worried that I was killing the golden goose.”

Stane lifted a device from the table next to them. Tony’s eyes were already wide with the admission, but after everything the older man had done, he shouldn’t have been surprised. What was worrying him now was the fact that the device in his hand was used to extract embedded objects and Stane was holding it above the reactor...and there was nothing Tony could do. He could only sit there, blood dripping from his left ear, heart racing in his chest, while he desperately let the fury race through his immobile body willing it to let him move and stop this. The device was pressed down, whirled and felt hot against his chest. Tony screamed in his mind, it was agony. HE managed a gasp as the reactor was yanked from the port in his chest and into greedy hands.

“But, you see, it was just fate that you survived that. You had one last golden egg to give. Do you really think that just because you have an idea, it belongs to you? Your father, he helped give us the atomic bomb. Now, what kind of world would it be today if he was as selfish as you?”

Tony glared at him defiantly. Even if what Obadiah was saying was true, the government had only used the bomb twice on Japan in retaliation, mostly for Pearl Harbor and to cause a decisive blow to Hydra, not that it stopped them. Hundreds…no thousands of people had died by Stark hands that day, probably millions total if Tony though seriously about the scope of the reach of his weapons. Why couldn’t Obie see his new vision? Why did things have to come to this? No, he couldn’t think about these things. It wouldn’t change anything. Obie was determined to kill him and he, in turn, was determined to survive. He had to live, he had to fight and not just for himself or his convictions…his dreams. There was too much at stake now and he wasn’t going to be the one to bow out or give up. Instead he looked into the eyes of the man who had mentored him and held the company afloat after the death of his father…the man who decided to throw all that he’d accomplished away for selfish reasons…the man that Tony was slowly beginning to see the true colors of, and on some level, hate.

He prepared himself as Obadiah ripped the attachments from the base plate. It didn’t make it hurt less and all he could do was gape like a fish. It would take a few minutes before he could move again. He’d just have to listen to the man’s ramblings for now.

“Beautiful,” the man murmured, holding up the reactor. “Oh, Tony, this is your Ninth Symphony. Ah. What a masterpiece. Look at that. This is your legacy. A new generation of weapons with this at its heart. Weapons that will help steer the world back on course, put the balance of power in our hands. The right hands. Hydra’s hands. Still, I wish you could’ve seen my prototype. It’s not as...Well, not as conservative as yours. Too bad you had to involve Pepper in this. I would have preferred that she lived.”

By this point, Obadiah Stane had tucked the reactor in a case and walked out of the house leaving Tony on the couch. This was bad, much worse than he thought, despite his will to live and push forward. Stane was going to try and kill Pepper. She must have found out about all this and that’s why she had called Tony. It had come too late, but she had tried to warn him. Stupid mistake for leaving his phone in a place he was vulnerable. When he survived this, never again if he had to glue the damn thing to his hip. That wasn’t Tony’s only problem though.

Obadiah thought him defeated, possibly dead, so he had made the mistake of telling Tony about a new weapon, his own version of Tony’s suit and that was why he needed the reactor. The genius should have realized after finding out about the underground sales that Obadiah had been working with the group that kidnapped him. He did know, he just hadn’t seen the possibility that they might have dug out the Mark I from the desert and sold it to Stane.

What he hadn’t seen, was the fact that the man was working with Hydra. Stane wasn’t the lap dog type. The kind of person who would just lay down for Hydra. He’d even spoken out against them, though now Tony could see that it could have been a really good act. Schmidt, the bastard, must have promised him something. First things first, he had to be able to move. He couldn’t afford to worry about anything else right now.

~~~~~~

Rhodey was back in Malibu driving through the city. His cell phone was glued to his ear as Pepper was trying to frantically tell him what was going on.

“What do you mean, he paid to have Tony killed? Pepper slow down. Why would Obadiah…okay where is Tony now?”

_I don’t know. He’s not answering his phone. Please go over there and make sure everything’s okay. I’ll call Steve and have him meet you there. Thank you Rhodey._

Rhodey was still holding the phone to his ear as he did a u-turn. Something didn’t feel right. If Pepper was worried, if she had seen the evidence first hand, well he didn’t have a reason to doubt her. He just hoped he made it in time.

~~~~~

Steve Rogers was a man filled with regrets, but the one at the forefront of his mind was not returning to Tony’s home for the night. He hadn’t questioned Pepper when she called. He was on his bike before he had even hung up the phone and backed it out of the parking space. He tucked his phone into his side bag before his bike roared to life. It would only take him about 15 minutes to get to the cliff-side home, but he could be 15 minutes too late.

His mind always went to the worst possible scenario. There were too many horrors in his past for him to think otherwise. After all, he’d thought he’d lost Tony once and couldn’t do it again. He picked up speed not caring about the limit. Steve was going to get to Tony, before something terrible happened.

~~~~~

Tony stumbled to the elevator. Crashing into the walls as he hit the button to go down to his lab. He could barely move, fighting against the paralysis of his body to keep moving. It was still too stiff, unresponsive that he felt like a flopping fish out of water. He had to get to the reactor…the old one sitting on the counter to his lab. It was his only hope right now and secretly he was grateful to Pepper for bringing it back to him.

He stumbled out of the elevator, pushed open the door to his lab and leaned on it. His eyes zeroed in on the reactor. It was too far. He could hear his pulse in his head, his body was sweating from the exertion, and his limbs were still extremely uncooperative. Stepping into the lab, he lost his equilibrium and his body crashed to the floor. It wasn’t going to stop him, he had to survive.

Using all of his strength he dragged himself across the expanse of his lab. Pulled himself past one of his cars, he knocked his creeper out of the way and tried to pull himself up using a plastic tub full of tools. The case was just out of reach and his strength was failing. He fell, down from the table, unable to hold himself up anymore. Rolling onto his back, he looked helplessly at the door, wanting someone so badly to walk through and save him…he was a weak man lacking the physical strength to reach his goal. Damn it, he didn’t want to die.

Slumping to the floor in final defeat, he was surprised to hear the familiar whirling sound. He glared at the normally useless robotic arm as it lowered the reactor down into his reach. He took the reactor into his palm deciding that no matter how much Dum-E was useless in the future, he’d never get rid of him now.

“Good boy,” he murmured before swinging his body around with enough force that the case shattered to the ground. He used the last bit of his strength to pull the arc reactor from the mess of glass and painfully attach the reactor to the baseplate. He was so exhausted that he just lay there. Tony knew he had to get up, he had to stop Obadiah from using the other reactor to power the suit but he didn’t have the strength to stand at the moment. His heart was still pounding, chest aching fiercely and he could only hope that he had put the reactor in place before the shrapnel moved into his heart.

~~~~~

The large black pickup truck and glossy Harley pulled into the driveway one right after the other. Neither man was surprised by the other’s arrival as they pulled to a stop as close as they could get to the door. Steve was ahead of Rhodey as they ran into the house. The room was dark, the only light coming from the roaring fire in the fireplace. It was too quiet, even though it would be if Tony was down in the lab. Rhodey called out the man’s name even as they made a bee line down to the lab.

They came to the open door and Steve froze for a single instant at the sight of Tony on the floor surrounded by glass. Within seconds, he was kneeling by the man’s side while Rhodey yelled Tony’s name in panic. Steve rolled Tony onto his back, surprised when the man was looking up at him. His face was a bit pale almost sickly as he clung to Steve’s jacket.

“Tony, you okay?” Rhodey asked coming up behind Steve. Steve didn’t have any words, but breathed at the sight of relief with the man was alive.

“Where’s Pepper?” Tony asked, his voice strained.

“She’s fine. She’s with five agents from S.H.I.E.L.D.,” Steve said softly looking at the wild desperation in Tony’s eyes. “They’re about to arrest Stane.”

“That’s not going to be enough,” Tony said.

~~~~~

Obadiah looked up at the new and improved version of the suit. The arc reactor was warm in his hand. Almost reverently, he reached up and secured it to the machine and slid the power source into place. The light reflected against the metal and the suit came to life with a loud humming that echoed in the area that contained the suit. Looking up at his secret masterpiece he couldn’t help, but feel the sense of success…of accomplishment even if he had only stolen the design from Tony’s original suit.

Tony was most likely gone, his plans were going the way he wanted them too now, and now he had something he could gift to Hydra. In exchange, he would want for nothing now that he would be made the head of Stark Industries. There were a few obstacles to get out of the way, but Tony was the big one. He was gloating, he knew, but he deserved it. He had won.

It was all that he needed to destroy S.H.I.E.L.D. and he had to take care of Pepper. Knowing Pepper and Agent Coulson, someone would be here soon to try and stop him. Pepper may come too to grant them access to the building. Tonight things would end.

~~~~~

A silver Audi and two black cars pulled up to the entrance of the building that housed the main arc reactor. Pepper and Coulson stepped out of the Audi, other agents following as they made their way to the building. Pepper swiped her badge and the doors opened. The group of seven walked into the main room and Pepper began to look around.

“Section 16. Section 16,” she muttered before spotting the correct door. “There it is.”

She slid her badge once…twice. The door didn’t open. “My key’s not working. It’s not opening the door.”

Coulson was silent as he held up a hand. The agent behind him pressed a round device into it. Coulson pressed it against the door. It began to blink red.

“Oh, wow! What’s that? It’s, like, a little device? It’s, like, a thing that’s going to pick the lock?” Pepper asked sounding a little excited and a bit hopeful that they would make it inside.

“You might want to take a few steps back,” Coulson said,

The agents all turned their back to the door as Pepper and Coulson quickly stepped away. Pepper plugged her ears with her fingers as the little bomb went off, forcing the door open.

Obadiah heard the boom glancing in the direction of the door. It seemed that he had company. Pressing the final few buttons to make the suit operational, he climbed up onto the latter as the suit opened. This would be the perfect opportunity for him to see exactly what he had. He’d give S.H.I.E.L.D. a welcome party, but he would have to hurry for the grand unveiling.

Agent Coulson glanced through the viewing window. He and the other agents had their guns drawn and Miss Potts was following them in. As much as they would rather she stay behind, they may need her to access something in this room. The room was dark as they pulled open the door and begin the walk into the lab. Climbing down the stairs they came across a large crude metal suit, the likes of which they had never seen before. It was just as the woman in their company had told them.

“Looks like you were right. He was building a suit,” Coulson spoke up as they gathered around the metal monstrosity.

“I thought it’d be bigger,” she commented before she turned at the sound of the jingling chains mixed with the fizzing of electricity. Stepping away, she could see long connectivity cables sparking…hanging down from the ceiling.

The agents spread out over the compound. One of them found a monitor with images of a better maintained suit modeled after the one they had just seen. It was bigger and most likely much more efficient than the other one.

Pepper wandered, helping the agents search, keeping her eye out for Obadiah. The constant jingling of chains made her spin around to take a look. Taking a step closer, she saw a shadow in the dark. Before she could think twice about anything, eyes lit up and the machine rose to its full height. Obadiah Stane had commissioned the creation of a brand new weapon and in the dark….it was terrifying.

Pepper screamed, silently regretting wearing heels on her little reconnaissance mission as she began to run away from her pursuer. As she turned around the corner, three of the agents had their guns drawn, firing at the machine. It knocked the agents out of the way sending sparks flying before continuing to pursue its prey. Pepper managed to slide through a door before the wall missing the machine’s swiping hand as she continued to try and get away from it.

~~~~~

“Tony, is this what you’ve been working on? What is that?” Steve asked as the pieces of the suit were put over Tony’s body. He was a little in awe and still a bit shook up. Tony had been keeping busy and the old reckless Tony was still there and that both frightened him while giving him the relief that Tony hadn’t changed.

“It’s what it looks like. I’ll explain later.”

“That’s the coolest thing, I’ve ever seen,” Rhodey complimented.

“Not bad, huh? Let’s do this.”

Tony blasted his still crushed car out of the way. There hadn’t been any time to repair the hole in the roof and so that was his exit. He was still a bit shaky, but you would never know looking at him in the suit. The look of a strong and confident him was what he needed here. Turning around, he looked at the men who had come to his aid.

“You need us to do anything else?” Rhodey asked as Steve moved to stand next to him.

The faceplate slid down into place hiding his smirk, “Keep the skies clear.”

With that, the suit took flight, shooting up into the air like a rocket while the others looked on. Steve shook his head to shake off the awe while Rhodey cursed once looking around the lab. Another incomplete suit was suspended, still it’s bright metallic color. Maybe he could just…

“Don’t even think about it, James,” Steve warned. “It doesn’t even look like it’s complete and you don’t need it. Come on, we are going to support Tony at Stark Industries.”

Steve made his way over to a cabinet and pulled out his spare shield that Tony kept in the house. He would need it tonight. When he turned around the younger man was still looking at the unfinished suit. Even he had to admit it was impressive, but now wasn’t the time to admire all this.

“Rhodey, let’s go,” he yelled as he made his way to the door and up the stairs.

Rhodey smirked and followed. “Next time, baby.”

Instead of heading back up, he climbed into one of Tony’s faster cars. He sped out of the garage and out in front of the house just in time to see Steve exit the front door and hop onto his bike. Nodding to Rhodey, both men sped off to help the man who they considered family.

Tony was flying as fast as he could towards Stark Industries main building. He had so many concerns going through his head. Was Pepper all right? Would he make it in time? Did he have the strength to do this? Would the arc reactor in his chest last long enough for him to get this done? Best to ask the last one of Jarvis.

“How do you think the Mark One chest piece is going to hold up?”

_The suit’s at 48% power and falling, sir. The chest piece was never designed for sustained flight._

“Keep me posted.”

He was almost there and he still had about 50 percent of the power. He had enough power to get Pepper out of danger. If things came down to a fight, he would still have some extra power. There wasn’t any doubt in his mind that Steve and Rhodey would follow him into danger. Despite the odds slowly stacking up against him, it would have to be enough. He had no other options.

“Pepper,” he said using Jarvis to hack into her blue tooth earpiece to speak to her directly.

“Tony! Tony, are you okay?” She yelled at first, her tone frantic and scared.

“I’m fine. How are…?”

“Obadiah, he’s gone insane!”

“I know. Listen, you’d better get out of there.”

“He built a suit.”

“Get out of there right now!”

Pepper couldn’t hear him very well, spinning around at the rumbling sound. The asphalt began to bulge, pressing up and crumbling as the suit pressed through the ground, glowing eyes menacing as it looked at her. It pulled itself out of the crater and up to its full height in front of her.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Obadiah asked from inside the suit. Metal fingers clenched into a fist and the machine took a step forward. Pepper let out a shout as the arm lifted and the barrel of the machine gun attached to it began to spin. Obadiah spoke again, his tone undistinguishable and ominous through the suit. “Your services are no longer required.”

“HEY!”

It was enough to shift Obadiah’s attention. The gun began to fire into the air as the fast moving red blur slammed into the larger suit and knocked it back in the hole where it came from. Both suits went crashing into equipment as they fell through the makeshift lab. The went through the far wall, through a container from the truck on the highway, sparking and spinning until they landed in front of several cars. Obadiah knocked one car out of the way and over his body. Other cars swerved to avoid them, causing accidents. The truck the container was on crashed from the force of the weight. A mother with her children in a black SUV managed to slam on the breaks in time stopping an inch from the metal arm in front of the vehicle. She pressed down on her horn in annoyance and Obadiah rose back up to stand in front of her. He gripped the front of the car and hoisted it into the air barely hearing the terrifying screams through the car and the suit. Hoisting it high above his head, he turned to see Tony had been able to get to his feet.

“I love this suit,” Obadiah said, pure glee in his tone, adrenaline and power pumping as he held several lives in his hands.

“Put them down!”

“Collateral damage, Tony,” Stane said as he began to approach, the SUV still over his head.

“Divert power to chest RT,” Tony ordered to Jarvis.

The buzzing sound followed by the brighter glow of the chest piece was quick. With a burst of energy, Obadiah went flying backwards and into the hood of another car. The SUV rose in the air and Tony moved to catch it. The suit creaked with the strain. Clearly something to fix later.

_Power reduced to 19%_

Not good, so not good. One knee caved and he fell down the SUV swinging back to the pavement. The mother pressed down on the accelerator. The car lurched forward, slamming into the suit. Tony tried to hold on, his legs dragging under the car as he slowly began to slide down leaving scratch marks on the hood of the car.

“Lady,” he yelled, but all the occupants of the car just kept on screaming. “No, no, no, no, no, no!”

He fell, going under the car and dragging on the ground. Sparks flew and he had to lift the back of the car up off of him to free himself. Thankfully he was in the suit or he’d be very dead. He watched the car speed away, knowing he’d never forget this night…at least he wouldn’t forget it any time soon. There was no time for him to rest. As soon as he looked up, Obadiah was back in front of him grabbing a motorcycle. The driver was flung aside as the bike was swung into him. The force sent him flying back into the side of the hood of a car. He could hear the people as they abandoned the bus behind him and the adjacent vehicles as they scrambled to get away. The hulking piece of junk came running, kicking him closer to the bus.

“For 30 years, I’ve been holding you up! I built this company from nothing. Nothing is going to stand in my way. Least of all you.”

Obadiah picked him up, body slammed him onto the broken asphalt before stomping on him a few times. When that didn’t satisfy him, he gripped Tony in his hand launching the man into the bus windows. Rising out of his suit was a missile that locked on, firing into the bus. Tony’s suit flung up with the force, and finding the strength to stop, he caught himself, hovering in the air above Stane.

“Impressive! You’ve upgraded you armor! I’ve made some upgrades of my own!”

The plates on the boots shifted and rockets fired, slowly propelling Obadiah into the air.

_Sir, it appears that his suit can fly._

“Duly noted. Take me to maximum altitude.”

_With only 15% power, the odds of reaching that..._

“I know the math! Do it!” Tony yelled at Jarvis who complied with his orders this time.

Steve and Rhodey pulled up into the parking lot just in time to watch both suits fly into the air. They couldn’t do anything at this point and instead gazed on with Pepper as Tony zipped past a cloud with Obadiah following a little behind him. They would have to hope that Tony knew what he was doing and would come back down safely.

_Thirteen percent power, sir._

“Climb!”

Despite the larger size of the other suit, it was gaining on Tony. He had to stay ahead, he had a plan, now if it would just work.

_Eleven percent._

“Keep going!”

He could see the ice build-up on the other suit. It was working. Just a little further.

_Seven percent power_.

“Just leave it on the screen! Stop telling me!”

When he was grabbed around his ankle, it didn’t even faze him. He was yanked back down and Obadiah wrapped his iced up fingers around his throat.

“You had a great idea, Tony, but my suit is more advanced in every way!”

Tony smirked behind his faceplate. “How’d you solve the icing problem?”

“Icing problem?” As soon as he questioned it, the systems in the suit began to malfunction. The power cut off. Fingers loosened from Tony’s neck.

“Might want to look into it,” Tony said, punching the helmet and knocking some of the ice away. Obadiah fell spinning head over heels and like a great big metal rock to the ground below. Tony didn’t have time to gloat though.

_Two percent._

His flight stabilizers gave out and he fell too. He was able to get them going every few feet so it wasn’t a free fall.

_We are now running on emergency back-up power._

Tony managed to make it to the roof of the Stark Industries building, crashing into a railing before rolling to his feet. His body ached all over. He was so done for the night.

“Potts?” he reopened the channel to her hoping she was still there.

“Tony, oh my God, are you okay? Do you need any help? Steve and Rhodey are here.”

“I’m almost out of power. I gotta get out of this thing. I’ll be right there,” he said as he yanked some of the parts off of his body. His faceplate slid up and he heard the metallic thud behind him. Cursing mentally, he turned and sure enough Obadiah was ready for another round.

“Nice try,” Obadiah said with a swing of his arm. Tony’s faceplate closed and he managed to duck. He brought his hand up to fire, realizing a second too late that he had just pulled the glove off moments before. The other arm came around hitting him and Tony slid on the roof, catching himself before he fell down into the glass above the big reactor.

He used his thrusters for leverage, delivering a punch of his own. Obadiah caught him, wrapping the arms around him and squeezing. Fluid began leaking from something in his back and he had to do something.

“Weapons status?” He asked Jarvis quickly.

_Repulsors offline. Missiles offline._

“Flares,” Tony yelled frantically knowing the suit couldn’t take any more pressure or he’d be crushed inside it. Thankfully those were operational and the bright lights combined with the ricochet effect blinded Obadiah and messed with the systems so that Tony was dropped and made his escape. Tony heard the older man groan as he hid behind part of the building. He needed a new plan.

“Very clever Tony,” Obadiah commented restarting his hunt for the younger man.

“Potts,” Tony whispered.

“Tony,” she shouted scared for him.

“This isn’t working. We’re going to have to overload the reactor and blast the roof.”

“Well, how are you going to do that?”

“You’re going to do it. Go to the central console, open up all the circuits. When I get clear of the roof, I’ll let you know. You’re going to hit the master bypass button. It’s going to fry everything up here.”

“Okay. I’m going in now,” Pepper said, not sure she should be doing this. Pepper crept back into the building with Rhodey right behind her in case there was trouble.

“Make sure you wait till I clear the roof. I’ll buy you some time.”

Obadiah was getting closer to his hiding spot. He promised Pepper some time. She was efficient enough to work quickly, though it would take a little bit for the reactor to power up. Tony snuck around just in time to see a blond blur jump onto Obadiah’s back.

Steve had to hold on as Stane move. Blindly he reached into an opening in the armor, grabbing something and yanking it out before yelling, “I hope this is important.”

The super soldier held the item into the air and Jarvis analyzed it. It looked like part of the targeting system which meant Obadiah was blind right now. Still the man flailed managing to grab Steve and throw him over his head and onto the glass. Tony took off his helmet and chucked it at Stane childishly before he ran over to the man, crouching down to pick him up. Below them, they could see Pepper at the main console. It looked like she was almost ready.

Obadiah’s suit opened up and he was still grinning triumphantly. Tony’s helmet in his hand. “I never had a taste for this sort of thing, but I must admit, I’m deeply enjoying the suit.”

He crushed the titanium-gold alloy as if he was stepping on a cockroach before launching it towards them.

“You finally outdid yourself, Tony! You’d have made your father proud!” Obadiah approached the railing bringing an arm up to fire.

“It’s ready, Tony! Get off the roof!”

Obadiah began to shoot at them. Steve ducked behind Tony, while the other man used his arm shield to keep from getting shot in the face or neck. Unfortunately, the glass beneath them was broken and both of them fell catching the metal grid that had kept the glass in place. Glass rained down on Pepper and Rhodey below and Pepper screamed in fear at the sight of them hanging down.”

“TONY! STEVE!”

They pulled themselves up a bit, Steve faring better than Tony. They had to get off of the roof, now.

“How ironic, Tony!” Obadiah continued his gloating. “Trying to rid the world of weapons, you gave it its best one ever! And now, I’m going to kill you with it.”

“Pepper,” Tony called just before a missile shot past both men and into the door to the roof.

“Rogers ripped out my targeting system.”

“Time to hit the button,” Tony yelled down.

“You told me not to,” she yelled back knowing he was still in harm’s way.

“Hold still you little pricks,” Obadiah said as he fired and missed again.

“Just do it!” Tony ordered.

“Tony, no,” Steve yelled.

“You’ll die,” Pepper added.

He was going to die either way. Steve would make it still, the serum not letting him die so easily. Rhodey would get Pepper out of the building. He had made up his mind. If he was going to die, it was going to be on his terms and he was going to take Obadiah Stane with him. Bury them both so that this never happened again, so that he never hurt the people he cared about again. Obadiah fired again, this time getting close and both men had to drop down, but still held onto the grid.

“PUSH IT!”

Pepper pressed the button and everything began to spark and go haywire. Rhodey grabbed her around the middle, leading her out of the building so that neither would get hurt. The reactor worked, launching enough energy to send both men hanging flying into the wall. Steve flung his body over Tony’s turning back to the sound of screaming. Obadiah’s suit was short circuiting, the man in pain as a bright stream of light burst into the sky. Then there was silence and darkness.

Steve watched in horror as the suit slowly fell forward, Obadiah still inside of it, into the grid and down to the reactor below. He could hear the crashing, the explosion. Turning to protect Tony’s unconscious body, he felt the heat against his back and saw the flying sparks reflect in the metal of Tony’s suit. He held on to the man with all the strength he had left in him, until he could no longer feel the heat of the flames.

He rolled the man onto his back, looking down at the reactor as it sparked, light blinking, and fading away. No, he couldn’t let Tony die. It wasn’t fair, not after the man had risked so much for their sake.

“Tony, wake up. You have to get up. You can’t…Pepper, Rhodey…we still need you. Please.”

He could hear Pepper and Rhodey calling for the man below. It was frantic and fearful. Steve held his breath for a long moment waiting, hoping, almost praying for the man to survive. The reactor sparked, the light returning, the humming a joyous sound…and Tony took a breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, sorry about the lack of updates last week. Iron Man is getting ready to come to a close and I know I played it really close to the actual movie, but it was better this way. I have plans for Hulk and for Iron Man 2. I'm already thinking of plans for Phase II which is distracting me from Phase I, but it'll be worth the wait I promise.
> 
> One more Iron Man chapter to go!
> 
> Please feed the muse machine with Kudos and Comments! I like hearing from people as far a constructive criticism goes and questions if I make something unclear.
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party for side stories:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	13. I Am Iron Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wrapping up Iron Man in a nice little bow...The alibi that gets ignored, the reveal of who is Iron Man, Steve gets a new mission, and Hydra is on the prowl once again.

Only a day had passed, since the catastrophe that most people at Stark Industries were now referring to as ‘the incident’ on sight. Work that was done at the main building and around the main reactor had been canceled indefinitely, and the employees were still given pay considering it wasn’t their fault that the building was no more and the entire set of surrounding buildings were without power.

Those who knew what had happened were keeping their mouths shut. It wasn’t anyone’s business though S.H.I.E.L.D. had prepared something. From the looks of things, Obadiah would get away with what he did without a stain on his public image. Not that it mattered with him being dead and all, but seeing as Steve refused to talk badly about the dead, no matter what the man had done while alive. It wasn’t worth arguing about.

Too many people had seen what had happened that evening. News was buzzing with speculation of what happened at Stark Industries, though no one had been able to get near the building thanks to S.H.I.E.L.D. guarding the facility since it happen and the shutdown of the part of the freeway where the battle occurred. They were helping to clean up, some even trying to rebuild the arc reactor at another location. It would be another week or two before things would get back to normal.

Tony for the most part was resilient as always. While he was unconscious, Steve managed to get him to the nearest hospital with help from Pepper and Rhodey. A S.H.I.E.L.D. doctor with privileges to the hospital attended the man, keeping the visit to the hospital on lock down. Tony was a bit of a brat when he woke up, realizing where he was, but the good doctor got the billionaire to knock it off and after a couple of hours, he was cleared to go home.

Tony spent the next few hours building a new reactor for his chest, though it was currently incomplete, while ignoring the speculation about ‘the incident.’ By the early morning the speculations about the man behind the red and gold suit was assumed to be Stark himself and they had to come up with something to appease the news media and the citizens of the city. A press conference was called at Stark Industries since the main building had power temporarily restored, and everyone who knew the entire story was patiently waiting for Agent Coulson to come in with the ‘official story.’

Rhodey was nursing a drink from Tony’s private stash waiting to take the stage and give the press the official statement before Tony would address the press himself. With the time he had taken off of work, and the speculation about his own involvement in this mess, he was lucky to still have a job. He was being called in to review his record and answer questions. He didn’t see how they could fire him for time missed though. Technically he wasn’t involved with what happened as he didn’t exactly do anything. Pepper and Obadiah killed the reactor while Tony and Steve did all the actual fighting with Obadiah. Still no one had any concrete evidence as to what happened, it was all speculation and S.H.I.E.L.D.’s official word being twisted that concerned everyone.

Steve was mostly unfazed by the whole thing. If anyone was watching him, they would notice how close of an eye he kept on Tony, but the cuts and bruises from the battle had healed. Because of who he was, there was arguments stating why he did or didn’t participate. Normally he wouldn’t have paid attention to that stuff, except the fact that Tony told him on a constant basis. It was the younger man’s way of driving Steve from the room when the man hovered too much or Tony wanted to work on parts of his next suit. Steve was adamantly against ‘the thing,' as he dubbed it, but Tony was Tony. He’d do what he wanted anyway and nothing was going to stop him now.

Rhodey nodded to the elder man as he was called out to speak. Steve turned his attention to the monitor to watch the press conference glancing at Tony and Pepper on occasion. Tony was reading the newspaper, while Pepper was helping to apply the make up to cover a few scratches that Tony was still sporting on his face. She was doing a fairly good job of it too.

You’ve all received the official statement of what occurred at Stark Industries last night. There have been unconfirmed reports that a robotic prototype malfunctioned and caused damage to the arc reactor. Fortunately, a member of Tony Stark’s personal security staff…”

“Iron Man.” Tony spoke up drawing Steve’s attention from the press conference. “That’s kind of catchy. It’s got a nice ring to it. I mean, it’s not technically accurate. The suit’s a gold-titanium alloy, but it’s kind of evocative, the imagery, anyway.”

Agent Coulson stepped into the room, approaching Tony as he spoke, thrusting blue note cards into the man’s face. “Here’s your alibi.”

“Okay,” Tony said curious as to why he needed one. I mean it would be awesome to admit that he was the man in the armor, though he already had been told by Coulson and Steve that saying something like that wasn’t going to happen.

“You were on your yacht,” Coulson continued.

“Yeah,” Tony sounded unconvinced as he put the paper down to look the cards over, though it was difficult with all of Peppers fussing.

“We have port papers that put you in Avalon all night, and sworn statements from 50 of your guests.”

“See, I was thinking maybe we should say it was just Pepper and me alone on the island.”

Pepper gave him a little glare that wasn’t all that intimidating. Still he stopped just to save face.

“That’s what happened,” Coulson pushed the original story.

“All right.”

“Just read it word for word,” Coulson insisted again while Tony flipped through the cards.

“There’s nothing about Stane here.”

“That’s being handled. He’s on vacation. Small aircrafts have such a poor safety record.”

“But what about the whole cover story that it’s a bodyguard? He’s my body…I mean, is that…That’s kind of flimsy don’t you think?”

“This isn’t my first rodeo, Mr. Stark. Just stick to the official statement, and soon this will all be behind you. You’ve got 90 seconds,” Coulson stepped away to go out into the main room.

“Oh, Agent Coulson?” Pepper called stopping him. “I just wanted to say thank you very much for all of your help.”

“That’s what we do. You’ll be hearing from us.”

“From the Strategic Homeland Inter…”

“Just call us S.H.I.E.L.D,” he smiled and she smiled back. She had known that Coulson worked for the organization, though she hadn’t paid attention to what the acronym stood for. She had been trying to remember it in case she needed to for the future. “Oh and Rogers, Director Fury asked me to pass on a message. He’s flying into the city tonight to check on the little mishap you and he spoke about the last time you saw each other. He also wants you to be prepared for a mission briefing when he arrives.”

“All right,” Steve said not too happy about it. Fury could have at least called him personally. There was no helping it now and Steve was actually looking forward to going back out into the field after this little fiasco. Coulson nodded before leaving the trio to their work.

“Let’s get this show on the road,” Pepper said walking over to grab Tony’s suit jacket. He and Steve would be going out to the conference together presenting a united front even if Tony was going to do all of the talking.

“You know it’s actually not that bad. Even I don’t think I’m Iron Man.”

“You’re not Iron Man,” Pepper said knowing exactly what the man was thinking. She risked a glance at Steve who shrugged.

“Am so,” Tony insisted, sliding into the jacket, cue cards bit between his teeth.

“You’re not.”

“All right, suit yourself,” Tony said as she fixed the back of his collar.

“You know, if I were Iron Man, I’d have this girlfriend who knew my true identity. She’d be a wreck, ‘cause she’d always be worrying I was going to die yet so proud of the man I’d become. She’d be wildly conflicted, which would only make her more…” he paused to clear his throat. “…crazy about me. Tell me you never think about that night.”

“What night?” She asked as she fussed over him still.

“You know,” he pushed as she gave him her full attention.

“Are you talking about the night that we danced and went up on the roof, and then you went downstairs to get me a drink, and you let me there, by myself? Is that the night you’re talking about?”

“Mmm.hmm.”

“Thought so,” she said putting an end to both their thoughts on the matter…for now at least. “Will that be all, Mr. Stark?”

“Yes, that will be all, Miss Potts.”

Steve cleared his throat. “Tony we have to go.”

“Right,” Tony said as both men made their way out to the press conference. As soon as they were in sight Rhodey began to announce them.

“And now, Mr. Stark has prepared a statement. He will not be taking any questions. Thank you.”

Tony and Steve made their way up to the podium. Steve and Rhodey stepped to the side as Tony took his place.

“Uh…been a while since I was in front of you. I figure I’ll stick to the cards this time,” Tony started off with, pulling the cards out of his pocket. The room laughed as he waved them a bit before putting them down on the wood in front of him. He was feeling a bit nervous, not that it ever stopped him before. “There’s been speculation that I was involved in the events that occurred on the freeway and the rooftop…”

“I’m sorry Mr. Stark,” Christine Everhart called from the front row cutting him off and raising her hand. She was demanding to be heard. “…but do you honestly expect us to believe that that was a bodyguard in a suit that conveniently appeared, despite the fact that you…”

“I know that it’s confusing. It is one thing to question the official story, and another thing entirely to make wild accusations, or insinuate that I’m a superhero.”

“I never said you were a superhero,” she denied, causing Steve and Rhodey to glance at each other. Tony had better not do something stupid.

“Didn’t?” He asked and she made a non-affirming sound. “Well, good, because that would be outlandish and fantastic. I’m just not the hero type. Clearly. With this laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I’ve made, largely public.”

Steve closed his eyes. He should have seen this coming. Tony wasn’t going to keep his big mouth shut, he knew it. Silently he was begging Tony to get back on track and stick with the official story. Rhodey stepped in to whisper in Tony’s ear and Steve was grateful for his advanced hearing.

“Just stick to the cards, man.”

“Yeah, okay. Yeah.”

Tony lifted the cards up in front of him.

“The truth is…” he paused looking up from the cards before dropping them down to the podium. “I am Iron Man.”

The entire room erupted with questions. Tony smirked down at Everhart as she remained in her seat. She smirked back a knowing smirk. Rhodey was looking at him with stunned expression on his face. Steve fought every emotion that wanted to cross this face, instead glancing at Coulson from across the room. It only took about 20 seconds, before the agent was reaching into his pocket for his cell phone. No doubt it was Agent Hill or possibly Fury who was watching the press conference and shifting to damage control. No doubt Steve was going to hear about this later, not that he could have done anything about it to begin with. Instead Steve just smirked, shaking his head as Coulson left the room. At least with Tony, things were never dull.

~~~~~

Steve parked his bike in his spot outside of the Malibu office. There wasn’t any doubt in his mind that Fury was already inside the building. He had arrived around the time Tony’s press conference. His only warning was a pain filled look from Coulson. Apparently the man had gotten a lecture himself which didn’t bode well for him. After what had happened to him over the past couple of months, and having seen the man just a few days beforehand, nothing was going to bother him today.

The man would be waiting in his office. That was fairly predictable. What Steve wasn’t sure of was the man’s mood. Fury wasn’t every really in a pleasant mood, but there was a difference between his tolerance and his…well…fury.

Sure enough, he found the man looking out the large window of his office, back to the door, hands behind his back. Steve didn’t even try to remain quiet, being a straightforward kind of person. Fury would argue with him regardless.

“You couldn’t do one simple thing, Rogers. I asked you to reign in Stark and keep him from doing something reckless and you let him do whatever he wanted.”

“I said I would try, Nick. You know as well as I do that Tony does what he wants and doesn’t worry about the consequences of his actions until it’s right in front of him. I’m not taking the blame for him for going against S.H.I.E.L.D. and telling the truth. I don’t agree with him putting himself his danger, but I respect him being true to himself…and his honesty.”

Fury glared at him with his one good eye. He didn’t say anything, for which Steve was grateful for. Being the leaders of one of the top spy organizations in the world had downfalls. For Steve the dishonesty game had been difficult for him, but even he realized it was a necessary for the organization to get done what it needed done.

Fury walked over to the desk and picked up a file folder that was a bit on the thick side. Steve took it from the outstretched hands. Opening it up, he was assaulted by the pictures of what used to be a lab. It had been completely destroyed. A large hole in one of the walls.

“While you were off chasing Stark in the desert, there was an accident at Culver University. From what we’ve been able to find out, the military was trying to figure out a way to replicate the serum Dr. Erskine used on you. They recruited a pair of scientists from the University. One of them thought they had figured it out, but the results were disastrous. S.H.I.E.L.D. helped to cover up the incident and now, we have to take more action.”

Steve flipped through the file briefly. “What do you need me to do?”

“I need you to find Dr. Bruce Banner and I need you to bring him into our custody. We believe him to be a…person of interest in this incident. The military, more specifically General Thaddeus Ross, is trying to hunt him down. We need to get to Banner before Ross and offer him protection in exchange for information on what exactly happened here. Banner is the key to solving this mystery.”

“How am I supposed to find him?”

“I’m placing Agent Barton and Agent Romanoff at your disposal. We believe that he’s left the country and you need all available resources and I know you’re not tech savvy so you’ll need a team with you. They are to help you search for Banner and once you have a location, you and only you need to approach him and try to bring him in.”

Well that didn’t sound very good. “Is there something that you’re not telling me, Nick?”

They stared at each other for a solid minute before Fury caved in. “We’ve only been able to get bits and pieces. From what we’ve been able to learn, the military is claiming that Banner is the reason the lab ended up the way it did. The reports say that he’s dangerous and volatile. I have a hard time believing that, seeing as I met the man personally. You have too. Banner didn’t strike me as a dangerous person and I’m a good judge of character.”

“So you think Banner’s a scapegoat for the accident, but you’re still being cautious in case something’s changed or there really is something we don’t know.”

“Exactly.”

“I have to say, this isn’t going to be easy.”

“I know that, but you’re good at what you do and that’s why you spend more time in the field than any other agent. You believe in your convictions and your gut is as legendary as your title. After all, you knew Stark was still alive and you found him in the desert. You can find Banner,” Fury moved past him. “And don’t worry about Stark. I’m going to go talk to him about his stunt at the press conference. Barton and Romanoff will meet you in your office when you get back to New York. Get a good night sleep and get your stuff packed. You have a plane to catch in the morning. 0800, Rogers, ticket is on your desk. Don’t miss it.”

Steve watched him go. There was no point in stopping him and Steve had something to focus on. To be honest he was grateful for a mission. It gave him something to focus on, even if it might take a while. He’d take the rest of the afternoon to study the file seeing as all of his stuff was packed. He was going to stay the night at a hotel and try to get some sleep. The real work would begin tomorrow.

~~~~~

Tony didn’t return home until late that night. He’d been riding the high he got from his announcement all day long. After the press conference, Steve had left to go meet Fury, Rhodey wasn’t talking to him, and he had given Pepper the rest of the day off knowing he was going to get an earful from her tomorrow.

Walking through the door there was a loud beeping sound. It was the alarm he had set before leaving the house. Jarvis should have contacted him the moment someone entered his house. Hesitating in the foyer, he called out the AI.

“Jarvis!”

_Welcome home, sir._ The voice was off and cut off abruptly. So did the alarm. It was then that Tony noticed Fury standing behind the couch. He should have seen this coming.

“I am Iron Man,” Fury started off as Tony approached the living room slowly. “You think you’re the only superhero in the world? Mr. Stark, you’ve become part of a bigger universe. You just don’t know it yet.”

“What do you want, Fury?”

“I’m here to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative.”

~~~~~

Fingers tapped in rhythm on the wood they were resting on. Eyes were taking in the details of the battle, the technological marvel that had been created. It was a bit of a shame that Stane had to die before Hydra could get their hands on the arc reactor technology. It didn’t matter as it was of no consequence. Get the technology would have possibly helped them, but there was no guarantee that it would. Tony Stark remaining alive didn’t change anything either. Schmidt had other plans set in motion to end the man another way.

Stane had been a weak man especially in mind. He wouldn’t have been able to go up against the mind of a superior man. Stark may not have the serum, but he was clever, so much so that even he called Stark a genius. What he could do if he could only manipulate that man’s mind.

Dr. Zola finished his report about the incident and fell silent. The tension just from the annoyance of the situation was felt throughout the room. The resources wasted, the men killed, the time taken…all minor inconveniences in comparison, no less annoying. It was more of a blow to the ego.

Schmidt hated to lose…especially to suffer multiple losses in a row. First Rogers and his team capturing Rumlow and destroying the strike group. Then losing control of the Ten Rings, insulted by their bold attempt to extort more money for Hydra. Schmidt was glad that fool Raza was dead. Then Stane…things were adding up and his blood was boiling.

This meant that his men weren’t strong enough. His control over nations wasn’t firm enough. The allies Hydra gained were weak. Schmidt’s power was not as absolute as it seemed.

White teeth clashed against red skin as he grit them together. Hands moved, tightened around wood, launching the desk into the far wall where it smashed into pieces.

“Sir, these are but minor events. We still have several plans in play that will tip events into our favor to destroy both Stark and Rogers and I have news as to the Colonel’s next mission.”

“And why should I take interest in such a thing, Doctor?”

“It seems that the United States military decided to work outside of the parameters the government and S.H.I.E.L.D. set for them. It seems they were trying to figure out a way to recreate Dr. Erskine’s serum with the use of gamma radiation and a serum they developed. It seems as though it backfired and what they created was a monster even by our standards, sir.”

Schmidt took a seat suddenly intrigued by what Zola was telling him. “Would this have anything to do with the reports of the large green creature that destroys everything in its path?”

“Yes sir. S.H.I.E.L.D. has asked Rogers to search for the creature and take him into custody, though I do not believe that he nor his team have all the information that we do as the military is not fully cooperating with S.H.I.E.L.D. Although, Fury told Rogers to be cautious about his approach....to go in alone...we do not believe that he is even aware that the man he has been ordered to chase is this dangerous creature we have been keeping an eye on.”

Schmidt smirked as the information came up via hologram in front of his throne. “Dr. Robert Bruce Banner…and they are calling him the Hulk. Such a strange but appropriate name for a monster. Perhaps we should interfere a little in this game, Doctor.”

“How do you wish to do that? The only data that we have that S.H.I.E.L.D. and the military doesn’t is Banner’s location. Our spies are certain he is in Brazil.”

“Allow that information to leak to S.H.I.E.L.D. and not to the military. We need Rogers to find Dr. Banner. We will take the gamble that this Hulk will be able to take our biggest obstacle when he tries to capture him. Even if Banner doesn’t end up destroying him, perhaps he’ll instill a healthy dose of fear into Captain America.”

“I will make sure that it is done, sir.”

“Oh and Doctor, we may need the asset brought into action. There is a nuclear engineer that has sold S.H.I.E.L.D. our secrets and is currently under their protection. I believe it would be fitting for the asset to be the one to take care of him and it will keep him from getting useless in the field.”

“It will take some time to thaw him, sir.”

“Then you should start now. And Dr. Zola, do not fail me this time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this is the end of Iron Man and the end of my cushion chapters. I am working on chapter 14 which will an intro into Hulk and a bit of an interlude between missions. I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> Please feed the muse machine with Kudos and Comments! I like hearing from people as far a constructive criticism goes and questions if I make something unclear.
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party for side stories:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	14. A Break In the Action

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve returns to New York to gather his team and start the search. Meanwhile in Brazil, Banner waits to be found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry, I haven't posted in two weeks. I could spend this entire note explaining why, but the main reasons is Hulk is kicking my butt. Too many plot holes, so forgive me if I get something wrong. I'm kinda winging some things for Hulk. I had to figure out where I was going with it before I wanted to post the first chapter going into this part of the story. The next couple of chapters are short and a little slow, but give me a few weeks to get into the action.

Steve stepped off the plane and made his way down the hallway into the gate, zipping up his jacket. The airport was freezing and the fact that it was dark and raining didn’t help his mood though it was helping him to stay awake. He hadn’t slept well the night before. The couch in the office he had been assigned was decent, but his mind had been reeling about the events of the last week or so to accurately fall asleep.

After all the fuss in Malibu, he wasn’t so sure he wanted to leave Tony alone, but Pepper had assured him that Tony would be fine and that if she needed to wrangle him in, Rhodey would be remaining in Malibu to train recruits for a little while longer before returning to his post in New York. Tony and Pepper would probably follow him when he returned, seeing as Starks construction monstrosity was now almost finished. Steve had seen it when he had been in New York about a week beforehand and it was too tall and far too much, but being more than Tony’s residence in New York, it would also house part of the research and development team for Stark Industries and some offices. At least it would have a practical purpose.

Steve shook his head. He really shouldn’t be thinking about high rise buildings with the Stark name plastered at the top. The mission was what he should be focusing on and not Tony and his antics. It was too soon to even contemplate missing the man and the chaos constantly surrounding him, but somehow in Steve’s sleep deprived mind, it was all he could think about.

He was quick to retrieve his bag before catching a cab to S.H.I.E.L.D. for mission briefing before he would be heading out with his team. To where, he wasn’t sure yet, but before he had left he’d seen Fury one final time. The man had told them there was a possible development as to the location of Dr. Banner, but as phones weren’t as secure as they would like, Fury had opted to wait until he returned to New York for a full briefing. Steve would be getting the information first…for once.

The city was so dreary with the rain. The buildings blurred by the falling water and the speed of the cab going down the nearly empty streets. For how busy a city this was, the streets were mostly barren. It was eerie, but the cab driver informed Steve of the Hydra air raid a few days before and that explained everything. Hydra still hadn’t figured out a way to penetrate the shields around the city, but as a precaution the city would issue a state of emergency. Most people would remain indoors until they received an all clear. Those that had to work, would brave the possible risk. Steve would make sure that his cabbie would get a good tip for the trouble.

He arrived and sent the cabbie away with his money before running into the building to get out of the sudden downpour. His clothes got soaked, though he managed to clutch his bag to his chest, so nothing inside got messed up by the waterfall of rain. He shivered a bit in the air condition, and he hoped that he’d have a dry shirt in his bag.

Before he could make it to his office to change, he ran into Barton in a t-shirt, lounge pants, with a bowl of cereal in his hand. The archer stopped with the spoon hanging from his mouth and snorted once in an attempt to stifle laughter.

“That’s a good look for you, Cap,” Barton commented as he dropped the spoon back in the cereal bowl.

Steve put on his best bad situation grin. “It’s good to see you too, Clint. Why are you still in your pajamas?”

“I slept here last night. My apartment flooded and Coulson said I could sleep on his couch as long as I don’t make a mess.”

Steve shrugged. Coulson didn’t come off as the kind of man who would let Clint just spend the night in his office. Then again, the two of them had worked together often, so maybe there was a rapport there that Steve just couldn’t see.

“Wait…Coulson is still in Malibu.”

“Yeah,” Clint confirmed a bit dryly.

“How did you get into his office?”

“Picked the lock…I doubt Coulson thought about that when gave me permission to crash here, though it’s in my skill set. He shouldn’t be surprised. Neither should you, Cap.”

Steve just shook his head, making his way to his office to get changed. There was a dry pair of sweatpants and a dry twice worn t-shirt with a few wrinkles in it that he would make do with until he could do laundry or his other shirt dried. Throwing the clothing on, he turned to see amused green staring at him. Curly red hair framed the petite face of one Natasha Romanoff who seemed extremely pleased with herself. Steve regretted not closing the blinds to his office window, but to be fair he really wasn’t expecting anyone else on this floor at this hour of the night. The fact that he was here for a briefing and to plan mission parameters was irrelevant. Barton probably called her up once he realized Steve was there and she couldn’t have been far, since both of them were expecting him to arrive tonight.

“You know you look good for your age,” Natasha said as he stepped out of the office, the folder Fury gave him firmly in his hands.

Steve glared at her, but it lacked the appropriate amount of heat to cause her to back off. She wouldn’t make any more comments about his appearance or his age for a little while. Natasha just shrugged it off, the little smirk still on her face.

“I set up the conference room with the packet. Figured you’d want to dive right into this one.”

“Lead the way,” he said though she had already started to move.

Following close behind her, she could see Clint sitting in the chair at the head of the table. He grinned as they entered having ditched his cereal bowl and a gun cleaning kit was in front of him. His pistol was laying disassembled on the table in front of him as he was clearing the water and grime out of each piece. Apparently it had been submerged in his apartment.

Steve was grateful that Clint had chosen that seat, though he knew part of it was just to get a rise out of his superior officer. Steve didn’t want the seat, never did, though if he was in a meeting it was usually reserved for him or for Fury. It was another one of his peeves that came with being the boss…one that he didn’t care for, so instead of insisting Barton move from the seat, he sat to the man’s right and Natasha sat across from him to Clint’s left.

“All right, I know what’s in this file. Tell me what you two know and then I can tell you what I know.”

Steve received a basic rundown of mostly what Fury had told him. From the lab being destroyed at Culver University to Ross’s asking for help with his relentless pursuit of Banner, to the fact that he hadn’t been sighted in months. Steve was thoughtful for a few minutes leaning back in the chair.

“Something’s not adding up here. Banner was a scientist and all reports of him are that he was a good man. Maybe a bit on the arrogant side, but I don’t know a scientist with these credentials not to be. Ross is accusing him of destroying the lab, killing half a dozen people, and nearly killing Ross and his daughter Betty. What would cause a man like Banner to go from one extreme to the other?”

“Banner is an expert in gamma radiation,” Natasha said. “Accidental exposure could account for anything unpredictable.”

“We have no way of knowing if he was exposed,” Clint spoke up. “Besides that wasn’t what he was working on.”

“It doesn’t matter what they were working on, though Ross will be hearing from me about what he was researching considering by S.H.I.E.L.D. directive, I have all the rights on Dr. Erskine’s research,” Steve stopped the argument before it began, though the two agents were looking at him curiously at the last little reveal. “What matters is the fact that Banner is in the wind and we have to assume that he’s dangerous regardless of what we may or may not think. We need to find him and persuade him that the best thing for him is to come in under S.H.I.E.L.D.’s custody.”

“How do you want to play this, Cap?” Clint asked as he began to reassemble the gun part jigsaw puzzle in front of him.

“We can’t move until we find him. I need you two to do what you do best. We need to go over the last few sightings to see if the agents missed anything. Reach out to your contacts, anyone you trust to see if they’ve heard anything. Check information feeds, even the Hydra ones we know about. If Banner is a person of interest to us or the military, they’re bound to take an interest in this and try to get to him first.”

“You really think Schmidt is going to go after him?” Natasha said.

“I don’t think…I know he will,” Steve said and Clint laughed at his word choice. Steve ignored him, continuing with his thoughts. “We can’t make a move until we have a lead. You guys are going to have to do the leg work and once we find Banner, I’ll go in alone and try to persuade him to come in.”

“And if he doesn’t come willingly?” Clint asked pushing the magazine into the gun with a click.

“I’ll figure it out if it comes to that. I’m not going to speculate on what might happen,” Steve paused, his tone betraying his irritation and how tired he was. “I’m going to call off things for the night. Let’s just all get some sleep and we need to be ready to move immediately if we get word on Banner. Get started in the morning, if anything turns up, let me know.”

When they didn’t say anything, he turned around to see both agents staring at him. Both looked a little concerned and it was Natasha who spoke up.

“Are you all right, Rogers? You’re usually the one who pushes for us to get going on a mission.”

“I’m fine…tired,” Steve admitted, “It’s been a long couple of weeks.”

He wasn’t going to tell them anything else. Though he had worked with them closely over the past few years, there were still personal things he didn’t trust them with. There were things that Fury didn’t even know about him and he planned on keeping things that way for a while. Forcing a tired smile on his face, he turned around and made his way to the office.

The rain was still coming down heavy, hitting the roof and the side of the building. It was soothing to him, something simple and constant. He shut the door to his office, making sure to shut the blinds on the windows so that his team weren’t going to spy on him. The likelihood of him going to his apartment at this hour and in this weather was unlikely, so he knew he was going to be here for the night. At least this office was better prepared for an overnight stay.

The couch on the wall, converted into a futon bed, the mattress was well made with extra padding courteously of Peggy Carter. The cabinet next to the couch held a pillow, blankets, towels for washing up, and usually an extra pair of clothes for the day, but Steve hadn’t replaced the last set he used. On the top shelf were items like disposable razors, deodorant, a comb, toothbrush, toothpaste…his essentials. There was a small private bathroom in his office with a toilet, sink, and mirror. It was enough for him to live out of his office for a few days, which he had been forced to do in the past.

Dutifully, he made up his bed before securing the office for the night. He didn’t trust that some new agent would be given paperwork rounds in the morning and waltz right into the room or that one of his numerous enemies would be bold enough to try and attack him.

Even though he was tired, sleep refused to come. The feeling like something was wrong with the mission regarding Banner. On top of that, he couldn’t help but feel a little lonely. After rolling around for an hour or so, he reached over and grabbed his bag. Maybe this once, he could be weak. He pulled out his photo album and began to flip through until he found the picture of him and Bucky. His fingers traced over the image, re-memorizing every detail as he had to with all the information he stored in his mind.

His hand rested on the picture, his heart aching. He couldn’t let himself be distracted on a mission, but here in the silence of his personal space, he could allow himself the freedom to be a little weak for the night. The picture helped to calm his mind and think of happier times even if they were tough ones. While he lay there, his hand resting on his captured memories, he fell asleep dreaming of a small apartment, a cocky smirk, and a Brooklyn Accent calling him a punk.

~~~~~

**Rio De Janeiro, Brazil**

The sun had just risen over the horizon. It was mostly silent in the peaceful early morning hours. In a small apartment the ticking of a metronome. Meditating on the center of the room, trying to focus on his breathing, was the remnants of a man who once had a lot more going for him. Once a well-known scientist who had a life, a career, and a woman he adored. He should have never agreed to go along with the military program or tested the serum on himself. Now a fugitive from the military, he couldn’t afford to make any mistakes. It was only a matter of time before he would have to run again, but for now he was safe.

He would fight to stay free. It was necessary to find a cure for his condition. If he couldn’t…well he wasn’t willing to think about that possibility. No, he had put himself in this position and he would find his way out. The other guy wouldn’t rule his life. Until he could find a cure, he would find a way to control it. For months, he had sought the help of experts and this was the only way. He couldn’t afford to lose his calm. It was dangerous, he was dangerous. Betty had almost…

The moment was over, and he had lost his concentration. His heart was beginning to race and his breathing was heavy. Snapping forward, he grabbed the metronome…it was time to start the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed the update. Sorry again for the delay, I should be back to an update every Sunday. Let me know what you think by leaving comments and kudos! Thanks and check back next week or subscribe.
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party for side stories:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	15. Not Exactly Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Banner is adjusting to his temporary new home in Brazil and trying everything to end his condition. Meanwhile in New York, Steve is struggling with nightmares and working with a team.

Bruce Banner stood up on the rooftop of the building he currently called home, looking out over the crowded cluster of buildings and the city around him. It wasn’t really home as home was far away, but he really didn’t have a choice. He’d spent months on the run trying hard to stay one step ahead of the countless men following him. Thaddeus Ross was not the kind of man Banner ever wanted to encounter again. He was relentless in his pursuit and a bit ruthless, which certainly matched the military lifestyle. Bruce should have known not to get involved with such a man, but Betty had asked and the man was her father.

Now he had made a life here. It had been five months since his last…incident as he mentally called his episodes. He was living in a small apartment in Rio de Janeiro with technology was a little lacking due to Brazil deemed unsuitable to Hydra’s needs and the United States having their own problems that they couldn’t really offer any aid at this time. His only companion was a stray he took in. Bruce had felt sorry for the poor thing and the dog, which he hadn’t named, had returned the favor at least in company and a good ear.

He fed the dog a little bit of food from his skillet before plopping some on his plate and carrying it over to the beat up chair he had managed to fix. Bruce stopped to turn on the TV and grab his English to Portuguese dictionary. While he had a doctorate degree, foreign languages were not high on his list of priorities though he spoke decent Spanish. He’d picked up quite a bit over the last couple of months, but he still struggled with a bit of a language barrier. Fortunately for him, some of the people he came in contact with, knew enough English that they could understand each other. For now he resorted to children’s shows to help…the main one that came on before he went to work was Sesame Street. It was strange to see familiar characters on the TV screen not only sounding different than he was used to, but also speaking a different language.

Flipping through the dictionary, he found his word for the day….hungry. Repeating the word a few times trying to get it right as he ate his breakfast. On the agenda today, his little bit of martial arts training and breathing exercises before heading off for the afternoon shift at work.

His instructor was a good man, patent with a good grasp of English. Bruce had explained his condition away as severe anxiety that led to angry fits and the man was willing to work at a slower pace so Bruce wouldn’t get too worked up. After a few sessions, the man suggested deep breathing exercises and a bit of meditation which Bruce was doing okay in.

“Let’s work on your breathing. Here emotion,” he spoke in Portuguese at first, patting a hand against his chest before switching to English. “Fear no good. So emotion and control.”

He patted his stomach as he said control and began the rapid deep breathing. The man switched back to Portuguese knowing Bruce would want him to in order to get used to the language. “Use your diaphragm. The best way to control your anger is to control your body. Control your pulse. Breathe, breathe.”

Today’s lesson included a few well-placed slaps to the face and his heart pounding. Bruce had to ask the man to wait to allow his pulse to slow down worried that he wasn’t going to be able to stay calm, but he managed. There was a long way to go for him, but he was willing to work hard, make the effort to control. He couldn’t afford to screw up. The cost was too much and he didn’t want to hurt anyone…not again.

Bruce had managed to find work at a bottling plant that bottled soda. It was one of the few places he could work and get paid under the table. The owner had tried several times to persuade him to go on payroll, but he knew he couldn’t. It would just give Ross a paper trail to find him and Bruce wasn’t about to be found.

As Bruce changed into his blue jumpsuit, he felt a shove from behind as his shoulder hit the metal locker. It was one of the bullies in the plant. He hadn’t retaliated knowing he was an outsider here and there was the other thing if he got worked up into a fight. If things continued, though, he wouldn’t be able to stay.

The factory was old, but remained a fairly well-oiled machine. Sometimes the parts went down, every once and a while there was a spark, but as long as the machines could still work, they would be worked down to their last legs. It wasn’t very often, but Bruce was called to try and fix things. Being a scientist, he was good at tinkering and it was enough to get by. Today was just one of those days. As he pushed a cart, unloading bottles and parts to where they needed to go he heard a call from above him.

The owner was waving at him to come up there and he thought he heard the man say, “break down.” He pulled off his gloves and made his way upstairs where he was greeted by a sparking control box. He had to take a step back before cautiously approaching the box. He pried the lid off, putting his glasses in place before making a quick adjustment with a screwdriver. He slid his glasses back in his pocket before he pressed the button waiting for the possible spark to come. It never did and the machine started up once more.

“I can make it work for a while, but you need…” Bruce said in English before adding uncertainly in Portuguese that he needed a new one.

“I need a new factory,” the owner said in his native tongue with a grin in response to Bruce’s words. He laughed and Bruce could only agree with him as he attempted to put the lid back on the box. Bruce listened hard trying to understand the man’s words as he continued. “Five months you’ve been helping me out like this. You’re too smart for day labor. Let me put you on payroll.”

Before Bruce could argue that he couldn’t no matter how badly he might want the extra money being on payroll would mean, he hissed. His finger had gotten caught trying to reassemble the box and he was bleeding, a drop of blood finding its way to the empty bottles below. Bruce panicked.

“Shut that off! Turn it off!” He yelled hoping the man wouldn’t question him and understood the urgency. If asked later he’d come up with something, but for now he had to get to that drop. Bruce ran down the stairs and the bottles came to a halt at his calling. Searching a bit frantically as he clutched his still bleeding finger to his chest to prevent more from falling, he found the blood on the belt. Breathing a sigh of relief, he wiped it with a cloth and applied super glue to his cut. He waved an all clear and the owner looked as him skeptically before the bottles were once again on their way.

He went back to work until the lunch alarm blared signaling a halt in production. As he walked to the locker room, he heard someone being very loud and a bit obnoxious. The factory bully was at it again. This time he was harassing one of the pretty female employees. Bruce couldn’t hear what he was saying, but her pleading eyes told him it wasn’t good. He tried to walk away, really he did, but he was a gentleman. Gentlemen always helped the lady. He walked back, approaching the small group that had gathered…the bully’s men. He called the woman by her name trying his best to speak in Portuguese.

  
“You want to have lunch with me?”

The man spun slowly waving him away impatiently. “Get lost, Gringo.”

He tried again, this time the man got into his face. “You got a problem?”

“No problem.”

“Get lost,” the man said with a firm shove.

“Don’t make me…” he floundered searching for the right word. Instead of angry, like he wanted he said, “…hungry.”

“What?” The man looked confused, so he tried again.

“You wouldn’t like me when I’m…hungry.”

When everyone was giving him a strange look he realize what he was saying. Switching back to English hoping to fix his mistake he added. “That’s not right.”

The man charged him. Bruce side stepped him and put himself between the man and the woman. Before the man could swing again, the owner called out. Bruce used the opportunity to grab the woman’s hand and lead her out past the bully who could only stare in anger. Bruce knew it would come back to bite him later, but he had done the right thing and that was what mattered in the moment.

The rest of his shift went off without any trouble and once his work was done for the day, he headed back to his apartment. On the outside of his door was a note, one of the men he had been in contact with wanted to meet with him. Bruce had asked this man to find something, to let him know one way or the other if it could be obtained, so he dropped off his backpack and headed back out on the streets to where he knew he would find his contact.

He was leaning against the wall and they exchanged a few words. When Bruce hinted as his inquiry, the man pulled a green wrapped item out of his pocket. It had to be it, something that may help to cure him.

“Oh, you,” Bruce said excitedly hugging the man in appreciation. It was the way here and the man was a good one. If thins had been different, Bruce though they could become close friends. He said goodbye taking off running. There were only a few hours of daylight left and he wanted to get this done as soon as possible.

When he walked through the door he threw his baseball cap on the bed and bent down to pet the dog. Waving the packet in front of the animal he grinned excitedly.

“You see that? See that? My ticket out of here.”

He was optimistic. This had to work, it just had to and he wouldn’t think otherwise. He flopped the package on the table where his makeshift lab was set up and pulled out his ancient looking laptop. Bruce had to share his recent find with a man he had consulted for help. Booting up the encryption program he called the man who he simply referred to as Mr. Blue for safety and began typing.

_Blue, are you there?_

_Mr. Green! Good hearing from you again, my mysterious friend!_

_I’ve found it._

_At long last. It’s a lovely little flower, isn’t it?_

The flower in question had the appearance of a wild flower with white petals. Mr. Blue had been the one to suggest he try this method and he had nothing to lose. He stared at the flower for a moment, when the movement of words across the screen caught his attention.

_Be sure to try a high dose. Good luck :)_

Bruce clipped the petals from the flower before he began to do what he did best. It took some time for him to turn the petals into liquid. Pricking his finger, he smeared a bit of blood on a slide and added the mixture he made. With strong anticipation he placed the slide gently on the microscope and waited.

As the mixture mixed with his blood, the green on his blood cells began to disappear. For a moment, he had his hope, until the green surged up breaking the lens on his microscope. Bruce pulled back with a disappointing sigh, cursing. It didn’t work, what could he do now? He went back to the laptop.

_Another failure._

_:( How much did you use?_

Bruce looked at the flower sans its petals feeling the disappointment even more strongly than before.

_All of it._

_Then it’s time to meet._

_Not safe._

_Living with GAMMA poisoning not safe. Stop chasing flowers. Send me a blood sample._

Bruce hesitated. Could he trust the man? They had never met, but the man seemed to have good intentions and had tried to be helpful.

_Can’t help if you won’t let me._

Bruce looked over at a newspaper article featuring a picture of Betty. He wanted to find a cure…wanted to go back to before this all happened…back to a time where he had Betty, they were safe and happy. Making up his mind, he agreed, getting an address from Blue and went about extracting a sample of blood. He labeled the vial as Mr. Green, so that Blue would know it was him and made sure to wrap it up tightly so it wouldn’t break in transit.

He sent it out the next morning. It wasn’t until the package was in the hands of someone else did he have second thoughts. It was too late now, all Bruce could do is wait and see if the other man would have the answer to his problem.

~~~~~

Steve was not a very happy person when he woke. He had slept restlessly, nightmares consisting of haunting memories, his fears manifesting in violent and twisted ways, and flames…so much heat that slid over his skin like a phantom. There was destruction and death...exploding tanks and lifeless eyes looking up from the mud. War was hell and he had lived through his fair share of battles, saw too much when he was much younger, and lived through more than most would in their lifetime seeing as his body was still very much in shape despite his age…not that he looked any older than someone in their early to mid-thirties thanks to the serum. No one would know he was much, much older unless they looked into his eyes.

Usually he managed to block it all out and his bouts of depression kept the sleep at bay, though once he had a night like that, he didn’t have one again for a while. He didn’t sleep well on a regular basis and although he had nights like this before, well, it put a dark dangerous cloud over the mission he had been assigned. He was usually crabby for days after nights like this and already people had picked up on his foul mood.

Interns and Agents scattered with one glaring sweep. Clint had tried lighthearted banter upon coming out of Coulson’s office, only to have Steve say something nasty back causing the man to tactically retreat back into the office he came from. Barton wasn’t stupid and had obviously called Natasha in for back up in handling Sure enough the redhead had shown up at S.H.I.E.L.D. with coffee as black as proper coffee should be and breakfast for him. She picked up his photo album that had spilled onto the floor sometime during the night, placing it on his desk, all without saying a word which was a godsend for Steve, who definitely was not up for conversation. Knowing how to fight her battles, she was brief in telling Steve where she and Clint would be before exiting the office grabbing a do not disturb sign and hanging it on the door before shutting it, leaving Steve alone to recover from the moodiness.

The coffee helped, the breakfast wasn’t filling enough, but given his rapid metabolism a large meal by normal people’s standards was never enough. He would make do. He still wasn’t really in any mood to do work though he knew he really should go check on Natasha and Clint, maybe even attempt to help him, but he knew it would hinder them more than help.

He was still in what he had worn to bed the night before, a pair of black lounge pants and a white t-shirt that was a little tight on him. The clothes were already covered in sleep sweat and he could use the work out. Finishing off the coffee in his hand, he headed for the gym.

~~~~~

That was where Clint and Natasha found him hours later. His hair was plastered to his face and neck. Clothes were clinging to his skin, his knuckles were starting to get sore from all the punching he was doing. He managed to go through three bags…the first one going flying in a matter of minutes…and the tattered remains of canvas and sand leaning against the wall. Steve could feel the eyes on him, watching as he punched the bag a few more times before turning to grab his bottled water from one of the benches.

“Better?” Natasha asked from behind the barrier separating gym from the walkway.

“Yeah,” Steve muttered after taking a sip of his drink. “You two find something?”

“Maybe,” Clint hinted, a folder in his hand. When Steve glared at him, the younger man was quick to hand it over. Steve took the folder flipping it open and skimming the content. He glanced up at them skeptically.

“A Hydra source?”

Natasha smiled, “You said they would take interest in Banner sooner or later. I took a chance that he might already be on it and it paid off. Apparently, the information came straight from Zola.”

“…and that means Schmidt has taken a personal interest in Banner,” Steve mused thoughtfully. He knew this wasn’t good news, but he also knew that he wasn’t sure he could trust the information.

“I don’t like this. Banner was too easy to find and I don’t like the information coming from a Hydra source.”

“If we don’t take it seriously, Banner could be caught by Ross, or worse Hydra,” Clint pointed out. The room was silent as Steve thought about his options. He glanced over at Natasha who smiled a little, nodding and then Clint who shrugged. “What’s your call, Cap?”

“Natasha, get in touch with the director, see if he can spare a few more people to work the back end of this,” he said glancing between the two of them. “Pack your bags. We’re heading to Rio.”

~~~~~

What Banner failed to realize that day was that he had missed a little bit of his blood. Some had dripped onto one of the soda bottles. That bottle was filled with the green soda, capped, labeled, and packaged together in cases with the other soda. The cases were wrapped, stacked, and then wrapped on their pallets to be sent out the next day. That single bottle was about to begin its trip as the one of the workers walked over to the pallet and placed a sticker on it. It was heading to the United States.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still struggling a bit with the Hulk movie, but I do have the next chapter ready to go up next week and I started working on the following chapter today. There will be a few surprises still to come. I hope you'll stick with me and enjoy!
> 
> As always, please feed my needy muse with Kudos and Comments! I like hearing from people as far a constructive criticism goes and questions if I make something unclear. Thanks!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party for side stories:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	16. Too Many Cats and One Mouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ross' and Steve's teams race to Brazil to get to Banner first. Banner gets some good and bad news, sparking a small desire to return home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another filler chapter, but I promise the next one we will get to see Hulk. This was fun to write and included some of our S.H.I.E.L.D agents. If you've watched Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Winter Soldier, you'll see what I'm setting up for.

Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross was a man who prided himself on his various achievements. He had a successful career within the military. His hair was streaked white and gray showing off his age. Still, he was a fit man, one who was in complete control of most aspects of his life. Ross’ pride and joy was his beautiful, talented, well-liked daughter who was also a respected scientist and teacher in her field. From the outside, the man looked like he had no worries or cares in the world. Few knew the horror he’d been tracking for the past several long months.

His daughter wasn’t talking to him. Not after the incident, the one that he refused to talk about due to all the complications that went with it. Those who knew the details knew not to mention it unless they had solid Intel…especially if there was a sighting of the creature they were looking for. There hadn’t been one in five months and Ross was getting frustrated.

Banner was a nuisance as far as he was concerned, a loose cannon, but a valuable asset if they could only catch him. Ross should have watched him more closely, maybe even let him in on what exactly the military had in mind. The idiot thought he had been on to something and used the serum on himself…turning into a rage filled killing machine.

Even with all the resources, both military and S.H.I.E.L.D., he hadn’t been able to find him and the times where the green monstrosity showed up, every attempt to try and capture it had failed. Ross knew he was going to have to go after the man the beast was hiding behind and try to sedate him. It would be the only way…now if he could only find him.

He sat behind his desk in Arlington. Despite his failures, he was still high ranking with quite a security clearance and that kept him with an office in the Pentagon. His main project had been put on hold in favor of chasing the prey he sought. He’d gotten the confirmation that he would be allowed to continue. The things the people in charge will do for safety, security, and even money. Ross was smoking one of his cigars, looking over his paperwork. For once, it wasn’t Banner related.

His secretary, Sparr, was a capable woman who he knew he could trust in the field as well as in the office came in with a folder in her hand. She promptly pulled out paperwork and held it out so he could see it.

“Here’s something a bit more interesting,” she started off with in a calm, firm tone. “It’s a possible gamma sickness. Milwaukee. A man drank one of those guarana sodas. Guess it had a little more kick than he was looking for.”

Ross was on his feet, yanking the cigar from between his lips. “Where was it bottled?”

She glanced down at her paperwork before looking back up at him. “Porto Verde, Brazil.”

“Have our people look for a white man at that bottling plant. Tell them no contact! If he even sees them, he’s gone!”

He allowed the smirk to cross his face. It had been only a matter of time before Banner screwed up. Oh the man had been careful, but finally, a lead. He needed to get a good team together in order to take the man down. After a few quick phone calls, he had his secretary get him a flight to the Everglades. His team would be waiting for him at Fort Johnson and hopefully by that point, his agents will have found Banner. Normally he would wait for the confirmation first, but he had no time to lose. Every second counted and he refused to lose the man again. This time, Banner was his.

~~~~~

A few days later, Ross found himself exactly where he wanted to be. He stood on part of the base runway with another General at his side. Joe was a good man, knew his plight and was willing to do what was necessary to get the job done. It had been Ross’ first phone call when he got the news about the gamma sickness and one he hadn’t regretted at all.

“I got you who I could. Short notice, but they’re all quality,” the general spoke as all eyes turned to the skies. Several men were standing by one of the planes awaiting their orders. The roster looked good so far, and it was about to be a little better. “And I pulled you one ace. Emil Blonsky. Born in Russia, raised in England, and on loan to SOCOM from the Royal Marines.”

Ross watches as the helicopter carrying his ace descended down onto the base. The man, had to be Blonsky, was sitting with a leg dangling out the door. He looked fearless and that was something Ross sorely needed with this crew. This could very well be a suicide mission for them, not that Ross planned on telling them that. No he needed his men to have their wits and without fear of a future unknown…especially death hanging over their heads.

“I know you cashed in some chips for this, Joe,” Ross responded, grateful for the man’s help.

“Glad I could help. Just make it good.”

It only took another hour and a half to get everything prepared. Everyone and everything loaded onto the plane and Sparr gave the mission briefing as soon as they were in the air.

“This is the target and the location. Snatch and grab, live capture. You’ll have your dart clips and suppression ordnance, but live fire is for backup only,” she spoke through the headsets as she handed out their mission specs. “We got local out there, but we want it tight and quiet.”

Blonsky flipped over the page of his little packet to look at Banner’s face. He wasn’t all that impressed with the look of the man, but he knew looks could be deceiving. “Is he a fighter?”

Ross answered getting more worked up as he spoke. “Your target is a fugitive from the US government who stole military secrets. He is also implicated in the deaths of two scientists, a military officer, an Idaho state trooper, and possibly two Canadian hunters. So don’t wait to see if he’s a fighter! Tranq him and bring him back.

~~~~~

Steve sat next to Agent Melinda May in the cockpit. He didn’t know how Natasha had done it and had half-expected Fury to either deny or ignore his request for a few more agents on this op. Fury had not only surprised him with three additional team members, but three people Steve knew he could count on in a pinch. Agent May was a stellar pilot and had specialist training. She was good and loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D….especially those she had worked with in the past and had a connection to.

Phil Coulson was the second person he’d been happy to see as an addition to his team. Steve remembered very well when Coulson had joined S.H.I.E.L.D. and their first mission together. That had been a disaster, but it had been a learning experience and Steve had come to respect the man. Coulson had the skills as a tactician and had trained directly under Fury, so he was good at his job. It would be good to have a man like that to run back end analysis for when Steve would inevitably go out into the field.

Then there was Jasper Sitwell. Steve had to fight hard not to make a face. Sitwell…well he really didn’t have a good opinion, but he didn’t have an overly bad opinion of the man. The agent was good at following direct orders He was a bit of a coward and a bit on the sketchy side. Still Steve knew he could use him. The man was great at gathering Intel…even if he was an okay field agent. His Patsy ploy was legendary in the ranks of S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives, but hopefully they wouldn’t have to use it here.

Steve didn’t have to worry about Sitwell as Clint came in, giving the man a hard time and distracting him. As the team lead, Steve gave everyone a mission rundown and soon they were on their way to Brazil with May at the helm of the plane. She was quiet and calm while she flew which was why Steve had chosen to join her in the cockpit. He was staring out at the sunset through the clouds when he could see May kept glancing at him.

“Okay,” he asked a bit hesitantly. “What?”

“Nothing, sir,” she responded quickly her eyes jumping back to the color streaked horizon. “I’m just curious why you’re in here with me and not discussing the mission with the others.”

Steve smirked, “If I said they were driving me a bit crazy would you let me stay? I’m not distracting you am I?”

“No, I’m just not used to an audience when I’m piloting. I don’t mind it though. This bunch is a handful, though I can’t imagine them driving you crazy.”

Steve laughed, “Individually, they’re all right. Putting Coulson, Barton, and Natasha together…I’m not so sure that’s wise.”

May cracked a smile and looked like she was going to comment on what he just said, but the knock on the cockpit door stopped the conversation. It was a polite, but semi-urgent kind of knock. The door opened and Sitwell poked his head into the room.

“Colonel Rogers,” the agent started off, promptly earning a frown from the man he was addressing. “Can I borrow you for a moment? There’s something you should see.”

“Sitwell, it’s ‘may I borrow you,’ and yes you may,” Steve corrected grinning when he saw May covertly roll her eyes. A gesture that was only visible to Steve. The man rose and left the area to step into the hallway. Sitwell handed him a folder explaining what was in it before the Colonel could open the folder.

“I thought it would be a good idea to keep an eye on General Ross. It seems he’s on the move, putting together a team. They’re heading to Rio. We should be arriving a little behind them…about an hour,” Sitwell rattled off before going silent so that Steve could think.

Among their early Intel from Hydra was an estimate of what part of the city Banner lived in. It seemed that Ross had narrowed it down even more and had an address. He hadn’t counted on Ross moving, but he wasn’t surprised. If they were arriving behind Ross and his men, there wasn’t going to be a lot of time. No doubt they would wait for night to raid and the General would prepare them for the mission. That meant he was going to have to come up with something.

“Go get the others and tell them to meet me in the conference center. Five minutes.”

The six of them were in the conference room in a matter of minutes. Steve, as mission lead, had come up with the mission parameters. He had to get used to working with an organized team again, due to mostly being a solo operative, but at least he was fairly comfortable and knew the strengths of this team. After explaining what Sitwell had found out, he had to explain what his plan was.

“I wasn’t counting on a team, but it makes sense. It also means that I need a team in the field to back me up if things don’t go according to plan. Natasha, Clint, Melinda…I want the three of you to back me up. This isn’t a kill mission, but we do want to delay the tact team enough so I can get to Banner and persuade him the best thing is to come into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. I know you’re all capable, so I’ll leave the method up to you. Nothing fatal or completely incapacitating.”

He glanced at his trio of field operatives as he said this. They weren’t exactly taking this very seriously, but Steve could tell that they heard him and understood. Despite that, he knew they would be efficient and follow directives.

“Sitwell, Coulson…you two are going to be our support and run back end. Coulson, I want you to coordinate the field. If something happens, I trust you to make the necessary calls. Sitwell, I want you to keep checking data streams for Intel and run coms,” Steve paused, hesitating for only a moment as the team looked at him. “We’re going to be on the move as soon as we land, so use the time to prepare as much as possible. Most of you have worked with me before. You know the two things that I ask of you. It goes without saying, I expect you to follow them.”

Steve waited until he got a nod all the way around the board before he dismissed their meeting without any more words. The awkward tension was thick in the air as he escaped to his bunk aboard the plane. The group watched him go. Sitwell waited for the field team to lead before pulling Coulson aside.

“Coulson, I hate to ask this, but…”

“You want to know his two rules for field work when he works with others,” Coulson responded already knowing that Sitwell was the only member of the team who’d never had to opportunity to support Rogers. When he got a nod, Coulson continued. “Rule one is don’t die. To this day, Rogers has only lost one person on a field mission and I’m sure you’re already aware of who that is. The second kinda goes along with the first. If things get dicey and Rogers can’t get out, we’re to leave him behind to deal with it. He’d rather be the necessary sacrifice, not that anyone listens to that rule.”

Sitwell was surprised by that answer. “Has there ever been a situation where Rogers was put in that position?”

“Twice that I know of. One of those, I was on his team as a rookie agent. Fury thought it would be a good idea for me and five other rookies to get broken in the field with Rogers. The mission didn’t go as planned and well, only two of us, myself and Agent John Garrett, stayed behind to get Rogers out. He was pissed, but John and I didn’t regret it. I don’t think Rogers did either, though he wouldn’t work with us for a little while. He’s a man worth risking our lives for and I prefer, if I can help it, for no man to be left behind.”

“It is an honor to be working with him.”

“Don’t tell him that. He doesn’t do this for the honor or the glory. If you keep that in mind, he’ll stop treating you like a rookie. Be respectful, but also be a bit more laid back. Stop calling him Colonel.” Sitwell looked at Coulson like he was crazy. The older man just smirked. “Or keep doing what you’re doing and find yourself stationed somewhere small or unpleasant.”

Coulson took the opportunity to exit. Sitwell just watched him go. It seemed as though he had a lot to learn about Steve Rogers. One thing was for certain, he wasn’t about to be pushed out. Too much was riding on the success of this mission, both personally and professionally. Sitwell allowed a shifty smirk to cross his face as he picked up the discarded file folder Rogers had left. Time to get to work.

~~~~~

Night had fallen on the city. The evening was a bit warm without a breeze. Most of the apartments had their windows wide open in the hopes of cooler air, but no such luck. Bruce laid on his bed wide awake with the stray curled by his side. His mind was on home as he absently petted his sleeping companion. The ping from his laptop caught his attention and he scrambled out of bed. Maybe Mr. Blue would have good news for him. Bruce waited for the encryption to go through before the man in question popped up on the screen.

_Good news. Preliminary blood tests show significant gamma reduction._

Bruce breathed a little bit in relief. It wasn’t bad news, but it wasn’t the kind of news he was hoping for.

_Will it cure me?_

_Yes_

The answer was simple and yet it allowed Bruce to breathe freely again. He no longer regretted sending the blood sample if it meant a cure. His new found hope was crushed a little by Blue’s next sentence though.

_But…I need more DATA. Exposure levels, gamma concentration, cell saturation…_

“Oh, come on,” Bruce said out loud. That wasn’t something he had and it was a hard thing to swallow at the moment.

_Impossible. Data is not here._

_Where is it?_

Bruce glanced over to the newspaper clipping with Betty on it. It was all he had or his old life and it was the answer to the question asked.

Frustrated that he had come so far and yet had further to go, he shut the laptop, effectively ending the conversation. To get the information, would require a trip back the University. It was too risky. He doubted that Ross had given up on finding him and he wasn’t so sure he would ever be ready to face Betty, not after what the other guy had done. Of one thing Banner was sure of, in order to move forward he’d have to face his fears and risk his life. It just wasn’t happening tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Bruce. As I said before, the next chapter we will get to see the Hulk and both Steve and Blonsky on the run. It's 98% finished and I just have to tweak a few things. I'm hoping to get the next one one done this week. In a little bit I'll post a clip from the next chapter on my writing tumblr. Thanks you for reading! I hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I enjoy working on it.
> 
> As always, please feed my needy muse with Kudos and Comments! I like hearing from people as far a constructive criticism goes and questions if I make something unclear. Thanks!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party for side stories:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	17. Dangerous Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Ross race through the streets to get to Banner who is dodging their every move. When they finally catch up, it doesn't exactly go as planned.

Steve had only been to Brazil a few times in his long life. It was a great place to hide if you didn’t want to be found. The small villages were poor and got by working together as a community. In the cities, everyone lived on top of each other, though an American could stand out on the streets. Steve certainly stood out in an area where the people had darker skin, dark eyes, and dark hair. Blond hair and blue eyes screamed European or North American to the people here, though Steve had thought to cover his head with a cap to at least hide his hair as he made inquiries about anyone new in the area over the last few months. So far, he hadn’t been able to find anyone who seemed to know, though they could just be keeping quiet. He was an outsider to them, and without introducing himself, he knew many of the people thought he was with Hydra. They were the ones that usually came looking for people and no one really wanted to get involved if they didn’t have to.

The sun was setting fast and fewer people were out and about. The remaining straggling children were even heading inside to join their families and Steve wasn’t any less frustrated. They’d managed to arrive before Ross’s people thanks to May’s expert flying, but failed to find the man.

“Any luck?” Steve spoke into his com receiver.

_“No,”_ Natasha responded simply. _“Everyone is pretty tight lipped though everyone I’ve talked to is being mostly honest. They don’t know anything. This is a big city though.”_

_“It’s like they don’t realize we’re on a mission to save someone.”_ Clint’s voice came next, the dry sarcasm not making anyone feel better.

_“They don’t trust easily, Agent Barton”_ Coulson was quick to cut in before Steve could. “ _Hydra has too many spies in this region. It makes sense for them to keep quiet or run away.”_

_“Should we keep looking?”_ May asked.

“No, I think I’m going to call it for the night. If we can’t find him, I doubt Ross will have any luck. Everyone head to the rendezvous point to be picked up. Coulson, see if Sitwell can sweep for any more information. Check military lines if you have to.”

Once he got a conformation from everyone, he began to walk back. He was the furthest out from where he needed to be. By the time he got back, it would be dark. He began to glance around, though there wasn’t much to see. The buildings were tall, blocking out the sky reminding him a bit of New York. It was a little more run down, with clothing lines stretched across buildings and alleyways. Steve wondered for a moment what it would be like to live like this. How much simpler it could be, though it was also more dangerous.

Movement caught Steve’s eye and he stepped into the alleyway. After a moment, a sleek black van drove past him, the lights out. Once it passed, Steve glanced around the corner. It had stopped, several men piling out. He recognized Emil Blonsky immediately and mentally cursed. Blonsky was a man who persuade strength at all cost. This was going to end badly if he was involved in Banner’s capture.

Steve needed to make a decision. The men were in full tactical gear with tranquilizer and live ammunition which was a good indication they had an exact location on the doctor. It was risky going in, especially if he got caught and tranquilized himself. He had a mission though, and Ross had made this personal for him. There was only one option.

“May, Romanoff, Barton…I want you to head back to the plane and suit up. Wait for my order. Coulson, track my movements. Ross’s men are here and have a fix on Banner. I’m going to pursue them and try to get Banner out.”

_“It’s dangerous. You left your shield here and any weapons,”_ Coulson pointed out. _“You know the last time that happened you ended up in trouble.”_

“I knew the risks then and I know them now. I can’t wait for backup and I’m not losing Banner to Ross without a fight. You’re in charge until I get back and I am holding you to my rules, Phil. If the worst happens…”

_“I’ll get the team out. I make no promises about leaving you behind though. Stay safe, Steve.”_

The coms cut out and Steve took a deep breath to steady the few shaky nerves he had left. Focused and calm as he usually was, he began to follow the men, keeping his eyes on Blonsky the whole way.

~~~~~

Nearby another van pulled up, pausing on the street. Ross and a few others sat in the van running back end on this operation. They tracked the movements of the men as they made their way along the streets and up several stairways to reach Banner’s apartment. They were silent, efficient, stopping a noisy street dog from barking with one tranq dart.

What they didn’t know, the loud yelp woke the dog sleeping at Banner’s side. It whined high, shifting to raise its head waking Bruce immediately. Still the men used their tracker finding the correct apartment.

_“Camera,”_ Ross ordered in their ears. _“Here we go.”_

The men slid the lens under the door shifting to find their target. On the screen showed someone laying in the bed, fast asleep. The camera shifted and the dog came up to take the camera into its mouth.

_“Get rid of the damn dog,”_ Ross sounded frustrated as he barked the order over the walkie-talkie.

They retracted the camera, the dog letting go without too much of a fuss. The men set up explosives while Blonsky covered them. They took cover and waited for their orders.

“Take him!”

With the push of a button, the door was blown off the hinges, falling down on the inside of the apartment. All the men rushed in guns at the ready. They rushed past the dogs, firing onto the bed with their non-lethal option. Blonsky ran up to yank the sheets down, revealing a decoy pillow, blanket, and even a wig draped like a sleeping man. He was disappointed, but it didn’t make a difference.

“Target’s on the move,” he reported, shooting the still barking dog. As he glanced around the apartment, he noticed a rope hanging from the window and heard the shout of a woman below. Pushing open the window, all he could see was the rope leading to the street below.

“Where is he?” Ross demanded.

“He’s on the ground,” Blonsky said before running, alerting the others to come after him. They ran down to the streets below. What they didn’t see was a woman poking her head out of her apartment, watching them go.

Bruce had managed to temporarily evade them. He had scaled the wall down, startling the woman in one of the apartments below him as she was changing. She had shrieked, startled and embarrassed, but once Bruce swung into her apartment and shushed her, she had remained quiet. After all, he had helped her at work by stopping the bully from harassing her. Acting as the lookout, she showed him it was all clear. With a quick thanks and a kiss on her cheek. Banner was once again on the move.

He dropped down and pulled his hood over his baseball cap. It would hide him temporarily. Hopefully enough to get away. Casually as he could, he walked and sometimes jogged through the streets, glancing up every once in a while to look for tactical gear or eyes on him. Mostly he glanced at the ground, watching his steps as he made his way through the battered streets.

He made a turn around the corner into the market where he caught sight of gear and guns. He tried to casually turn, but he could clearly see he’d been caught. He heard the man yelling and the sound of pounding footsteps as he too ran, trying to get away from the men who were clearly after him.

Blonsky was running on adrenaline. He was the hunter. Banner his prey. Ross was the man to please, though he was doing this more for his own satisfaction. He could hear the man giving orders in his ear. Compliance, at least for the time being, went along with his need for this. Why Ross wanted Banner, he didn’t care.

“Don’t lose him,” Ross commanded and Blonsky smirked. He wouldn’t. He ran ahead of the others, and when he thought he had a clear shot, brought his gun up to aim. Unfortunately Banner turned a corner and the opportunity was missed. The other men ran past him following the direct path the other man took. He saw the alley next to him and ran down it. He was done playing. It was time to catch his mouse.

Banner had an advantage. He knew the city better than these goons. It wasn’t long before he made his way back up. He’d studied the best way to ditch any of his pursuers. The best way was jumping across rooftops. After a great deal of practice, he’d gotten good at it. He heard the screaming as one man fell and the ricochet of a shot as he ducked onto a covered balcony. Dropping down onto the street he ran until he reached the marketplace.

His heart monitor was beeping loudly as he slammed up against the corner of a metal gate and some pallets of merchandise. The monitor said that his heart rate was up to 175 beats per minute and he slumped trying to breath. His heart rate needed to come down or everyone here would be in danger. Breathing deeply, he managed to get it to drop down to 153 and knew he didn’t have time to bring it down any lower. Bruce knew it was only a matter of time before they found him again. He needed to keep moving.

Pushing off the crates, he walked out into the crowd, looking for the best option. Seeing the gun...one of the men from earlier startled him, though he reacted quick enough to take off. He heard another ricochet and ran around another corner and down the alley. A van pulled up, blocking part of the way. The door opened and Banner got a look at the man he hadn’t seen in months. Ross stared him down, allowing the arrogant smirk to cross his face at Banner’s terrified and startled expression. It was game over now.

Bruce wouldn’t give in though. Seeing Ross didn’t have a weapon in hand, he took off running. If the man wanted him, he was going to put up a hell of a fight.

“Get around behind him!” Ross yelled to the driver, getting back into the van and slamming the door shut.

“Target moving past mobile unit 0-9-0,” Spar told the troops on the ground as they followed Banner through the narrow streets. Hopefully the men would be able to get to their location quick enough to stop Banner from getting any farther from them.

Banner cut down another alley, running past the late night partiers. Glancing behind him, he missed the men in front of them, running into them and nearly knocking both parties on the ground. Banner was about to apologize when the man spun around. It was the bully from the bottle factory…just his luck.

“Oh, no,” he said looking into the eyes of the other man. Instant recognition and anger crossed his face. This really wasn’t Bruce’s day. “You got to be kidding me.”

The man swung and Bruce ducked causing the man to fly over him, spinning with the momentum. His friends saw the miss and came at Banner. Using a few self-defense moves, Banner knocked them out of the way and was running once more. Now he had more people on his heels than before. He could hear the heart monitor beeping again as he ran towards the factory. Was he ever going to get a break?

Blonsky went high trying to get a sniper’s view on the target. He’d lost the man a third time and wasn’t about to lose him again. Making his way past hanging sheets he looked down, luck and a good eye causing him to spot Banner entering the plant.

_“Where is he?”_

Just when he was about to answer the general, he saw another figure drop down from a rooftop. Dressed in denim jeans, black jacket and a baseball cap. The man was well bit, kept his head down, but the insignia on the man’s back gave him away. Who didn’t know that symbol?

“Targets acquired,” Blonsky responded. It wasn’t every day that he got to run into a member of S.H.I.E.L.D….especially Colonel Rogers himself. That shield…it couldn’t have been anyone else. Finally, an opponent worth facing.

~~~~~

Steve stepped into the dark locker room of the factory. While it was difficult to see in the dark, the beeping of some sort of watch or monitor was echoing off the metal. He saw Banner come in here from his perch on the roof top.

The scientist had been nimble, his plan well thought out. Ross’s men were prepared, but Banner had managed to stay one step ahead of them as they raced through the streets. His initial plan had been to go in after the troops and fight for Banner while avoiding the guns. When he’d heard the woman screaming, he ran around in time to see Blonsky poke his head out the window, before the flurry of men rained down on the darkening streets.

Steve stayed there for a moment, hidden from sight when Banner had exited the building. The soldier should have grabbed the man then, but Banner looked different. He was thinner, but had a bit more muscle. There was dark facial hair on his head and his eyes looked focused but a bit haunted. Steve couldn’t afford to approach the wrong man when there were others at play. It was probably a good thing that Banner wasn’t a trained fighter. It would have alerted him to the fact he was being followed. The other men provided the necessary distraction.

When he realized that he had the right man, he’d called in backup and climbed to the rooftops. Barton found him while he was climbing and tossed over his shield. Steve could now go into the fray without having to worry about being completely defenseless.

He also knew he wasn’t the only one who would be in the factory in a matter of minutes. Between the goons following Banner in an attempt to get revenge for their unfortunate run in and Blonsky hanging out on the rooftops, Steve needed to get Banner to trust him enough to get him out in the next five minutes or they would have company. Talking to Banner about why he was there had to wait until they were back at the plane.

This wasn’t going to be easy seeing as he wasn’t as much of a people person as he should be. Maybe he could make it work though. Stepping down one of the aisles of lockers, he could see Banner looking down at a watch on his rest. Holding up his hands out away from his face to show he was unarmed, he took a breath.

“Dr. Banner?”

Bruce snapped around at the sound of his name being called. The locker room was dimly lit, but the man standing there wasn’t one of his earlier pursuers…or was he. Taking a step back as the man slowly approached caused the man to stop.

“I’m here to help you. I know that Ross is after you…sent men to bring you in. I want to take you somewhere safe…to talk, that’s it.”

“How do I know you’re not with them? What reason do you have for me to trust you?”

Banner’s voice was tired, raw and breathy from running so far for so long. Steve didn’t really have an answer for him. His face twisted into a wry smile. He wanted to give the man some reason, but he wasn’t one to lie.

“I don’t have any proof…no reason for you to trust me. Officially, I’m from S.H.I.E.L.D., but to be honest I don’t always side with their beliefs. I’m not that kind of man. All I know is, there are a lot of people looking for you and all that I’m interested is your side of the story. If everything pans out, I might be able to get you protection from Ross, but I need you to come with me now if we’re going to avoid them.”

There was a bang from the door. The sound of taunting voice hit their ears. They were calling Banner a ‘gringo’ and shadows crossed the covering that made up the hall that led to the locker room. Steve grit his teeth in annoyance. The goons were here, obviously closer than he’d calculated. Banner glanced back down at his watch, the beeping having started to slow down as he took several deep breaths and leaned back against the lockers. Banner looked a bit more resigned, though his flight response was still reacting to his self-preservation.

Steve knew Banner was wary of him as well, though this may be the opportunity to gain his trust. It wasn’t exactly how he thought this would happen and he wasn’t too pleased that taking out a few idiot thugs out for petty revenge. Improvising sucked and he made a mental note to plan ahead next time.  
  
“I’d rather not fight,” Banner spoke low and quiet. “Follow me and I’ll get us out the back.”

Steve nodded and they began to jog through the main factory. His focus was split between watching the red of Banner’s hoodie in front of him and glancing around the factory for anything they could hide behind or anything they could use as a weapon. Banner went up the metal stairs, as Steve caught sight of both Blonsky’s team and two of the street thug, the bigger ones, closing in on them. Glancing around the factory he looked for the other two as they reached a door. Realizing a second too late, he couldn’t stop Banner from opening the door, revealing the other men.

Banner seemed to forget he was there as he turned to run back towards him. Steve was more than willing to follow the other man another way, but the biggest brute blocked their path. Steve’s Portuguese was a basically non-existent, but from their tone, they were taunting Banner. The doctor took a step back and hit the chest of one thug. He pleaded with them to stop as the leader ripped the backpack off Banner’s back. Banner elbowed him in the face and made a lunge for the bag.

“Not the computer. Give me that! No!”

The men threw the backpack out of reach and grabbed both arms. This put Steve in action, knocking the one wearing a yellow shirt away. The man came back quickly and unexpectedly, swinging at Steve with enough force that the ex-soldier fall back on the grate. The next shot was a kick in the ribs. Ignoring the pain, Steve rolled getting back to his feet before he grabbed his shield. A loud shout of pain echoed through the factory as the man hit the vibranium surface and Steve charged, knocking the man onto the floor. The man would not go down and they wrestled. The older man was helpless as he watched Banner be slammed up against another metal grate, a spark igniting above his head.

The leader punched Banner hard in the stomach making him double over in the pain. The man tried to breathe saying a silent prayer that he might still be able to get out of this.

“Not so tough now, huh?” The bully taunted in Portuguese. “Try those fancy moves again. Come on.”

“Stop. Please.” Banner begged. “Me…angry….very bad.”

The bully grinned switching to choppy English, laughing as he spoke. “You bad angry, G? I very bad angry.”

The beeping from the monitor was getting louder and louder. Bruce braced himself trying to breathe when he saw one of Ross’ men’s guns poking through a dirty, broken window. This was bad.

“Oh no,” Banner whispered before getting up the nerve to talk back. He had to get them to understand…to let him go. “You don’t understand! Something really bad is about to happen here!”

“Yeah…” the man nodded once, no longer amused. “…very bad.”

Banner felt the second shot to his gut and his breath all escaped his lungs. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t calm the racing of his heart as the beeping echoed distantly in his ears. His body fell, crumpling to the floor, shoved by the bully as they all laughed.

It was like a switch in his brain. The pounding of his heart beat in his ears like a drum and he looked up, green overshadowing his usual brown eyes. He tried to fight it. The thing inside of him clawing its way out. It hurt others…killed others. It was too late though as muscle bulged under pale skin. Green and rising anger. It was all he could feel. He heard the ripping of clothes as he squirmed on the ground. The last coherent thought from Bruce Banner was the silent plea for the others to run away and then all he knew was darkness.

With one more good punch to the face, Steve managed to free himself from the brute trying to keep him down. He had to get to Banner, to get out of here. Unknown to the leader of this gang of bullies, one of his men had been shot. The man Steve had been struggling with was still conscious, but only just barely. He wasn’t in any shape to keep going though he was getting back up. Steve was about to move, to stop him for good, when he saw the leader kicked in the direction Banner had gone.

The sound of snapping bones, the cry of pain, and the next thing any of them knew, the man was being yanked into the shadows. All was silent for a few heartbeats. The two conscious thugs edged forward to the darkened corner. Steve’s stomach twisted. There was something wrong here.

Blonsky had watched as the entire thing unfolded. Through his night vision scope he’d seen Banner writhing on the ground, the ripping of clothing, and then the man yoked by something large into the shadows. Over the radio, he asked if anyone else was paying attention, but got no response.

With a loud snarl and a high pitched scream, the man flew through the factory, slamming through all the windows of a control room, then into a wall, before slumping onto the floor. The loud bang and the sound of glass reigning down on the man was heard, but nothing could tear their eyes away from the shadows.

The black hulking mass rose up out of the shadows. Steve took two steps back and dropped into a defensive stance holding his shield out in front of him. This wasn’t Banner, couldn’t be Banner. It was too tall, too big. The creature let out a roar and began to charge the other bullies. The men took off running, and the green blur ran past Steve and after them. He moved, coming around the machinery to a dark hallway. The cries of the two men echoing, making his body go cold with dread.

On the other end of the hall, Blonsky stood, gun at the ready. His team behind him. He couldn’t get a clear view of the creature in his scope, but it was human like and large…very large.

“We’ve got a bogey of some kind. Please advise,” one of the men spoke into the radio, alerting Ross to their situation.

_“That is the target!”_ Ross yelled through the line. _“Use every tranq you’ve got! Do it now!”_  
  
They unleashed a barrage of rounds into the back of the target, but none could penetrate. Slowly, it turned around, crushing several of the rounds on the ground. It slammed into one of the tanks bouncing off of it and seeing the men who were attacking him. He charged.

“Go live! Go live! Go live! Move!” One man yelled.

“Get our of the way!”

Blonsky was already on the move. He replaced his gun with real firepower and moved to get into position. Aiming and the monster, he had to move as it lifted one of the men up, bullets flying all over. The troop regrouped, stalking through the aisles as one of their man flew by in front of them, sparks flying as the man slumped to the ground. The creature moved out of sight before Blonsky could fire.

They followed it, shooting, but the bullets weren’t having any effect on the creature. Blonsky had enough. He was going to get this thing. Striding up the stairs, he heard another man yelling.

“It’s behind us! Move! Move!”

They shot at it more. One man threw a flash grenade as Steve skidded around the corner, drawn by the gunfire. The grenade exploded lighting up the large figure, cloaking it in darkness. Silence reigned for only a few seconds before a low voice nearly growled.

“Leave me alone.”

Steve heard the high pitched scraping and jumped out of the way, just in time for a tank to be launched past him and into the bodies of the remaining ground agents. He could hear shooting and looked up to see Blonsky firing at the tank trying to stop it from taking him out. It slammed into another tank filled with soda, splashing both men. They glared at each other for only a moment before both were on the move. One above, one below, they stepped over watching the big green man stomp almost casually away from them. Steve stayed back watching Blonsky take aim. He hated to admit it, but he’d need the man’s help in order to have even a slight chance of taking this thing down. Blonsky started to fire causing the creature to turn around. It took a step out of the shadows. Angry green eyes fixated on the man above. He growled low, gritting his teeth together as the men bore into each other.

With the ease of a child picking up its favorite toy, it lifted a fork lift, chucking it up at Blonsky. The man had to leap to avoid it, the grate bridge beneath him falling apart, leaving him partially suspended. Steve dove out of the way, avoiding falling debris and burning sparks by bringing his shield up. Both men looked back to see one final snarl before the creature picked up another piece of machinery and went through the solid brick wall of the factory.

Blonsky and Steve looked after the creature in shock. Steve getting to his feet first running on adrenaline making his way up to the broken grate. He wouldn’t leave the other man to fall or die if he could help it. There was enough of that this night. Blonsky took his hand, using the leverage to pull himself up to his knees before standing up on his own power.

“Colonel Rogers,” he greeted, voice breathless his accent thick.

“Blonsky,” Steve spoke simply, noticing the radio when it cackled. Grabbing it from the man’s uniform, he brought it up to speak. “Ross, this is Steve Rogers with S.H.I.E.L.D. We need to talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, some action! Was so happy when I got through this. I struggle a bit with the action sequences, but I think it turned out well. Just as a heads up, I do not have the next chapter written as of right now due to a busy schedule this past week, but I'm going to try and see if I can get it written this week. This is going to be a bit rough because I am going to be doing National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and I'm an ML for my region, so I will be super busy with that coming up. Because of that, I'm going to apologize if the updates lag a bit over the next four weeks. I would like to at least be able to update next Sunday with the next chapter of this and a new chapter of Interlude Party I'm working on. (Coulson's first mission with Steve.) A preview of that will be on my writing tumblr in a little bit and I'm going to work on some writing tonight. Thank you guys for the Kudos and your patience. You guys rock!
> 
> As always, please continue to feed my needy muse with more Kudos and Comments! I like hearing from people as far a constructive criticism goes and questions if I make something unclear. Thanks again you guys!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party for side stories:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	18. Calculated Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a crushing blow, Ross, S.H.I.E.L.D., and Banner are trying to figure out their next move.

They’d lost him. The bastard had transformed and Ross’ force hadn’t been enough to stop him. Hell Rogers had shown up and even he hadn’t been able to put a dent in the mass they had dubbed the Hulk. Now all they could hear was the faint echoing of the monster’s roars as they were sent back to square one.

Now they were rummaging through the abandoned apartment looking to try and figure out where the rogue scientist might go. Blonsky walked into the room, thankfully alone once Ross made arrangements to speak to Rogers on American soil. With him was the backpack Banner had been carrying. He flopped it onto the table and began to rummage through it. He didn’t like to lose and he’d be damned if he didn’t get another crack at the doctor.

“I knew something was different before I got the shot off,” he said causing Ross and Sparr to turn around while he gestured to the backpack. “He had it on him when he bolted.”

Inside was a laptop that had seen better days. Sparr opened it up to reveal a newspaper clipping. Agitated, Blonsky snatched it up to see an article about a scientist at Culver University. A possible lead?

“Is that a girlfriend? She helps him, maybe?”

Ross went quiet as he looked down at the picture of his daughter. She looked so happy in the picture, but Ross knew that since the incident things had been extremely difficult for her. Seeing as she wasn’t speaking to him, he had sources to get information from and found out that she was doing much better. He kept up his poker face as he folded the article.

“She is no longer a factor,” he answered vaguely. “We closed that door to him a long time ago. He’s alone. He wants to be alone. But see if he’s been talking to anybody.”

Once Ross gave the order he walked over to the still tied ropes that Banner had used to repel from his apartment to the street below. He was thoughtful, unaware of Blonsky’s foul mood.

“Forgive me, sir?” Blonsky attempted some respect and decorum. “Doesn’t anyone want to talk about what went down in there? ‘Cause…he didn’t lose us. And he was not alone, sir. We had him and Rogers once he followed Banner in. And then something hit us, something…something BIG hit us!”

Blonsky took a breath before he got worked up. “It threw a forklift truck like it was a softball!” He paused collecting himself once more and his marvel showed. “It was the most powerful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Ross didn’t look at him. “Well, it’s gone.”

“Well, if Banner knows what it is, I’m gonna track him down, I’m gonna put my foot on his throat, and I’m gonna…” Blonsky threatened only to be cut off by Ross.

“That was Banner,” he said simply as he looked over at the stunned soldier. He began to walk towards him, affirming what he had said as he continued. “It…was Banner.”

“You have to explain that statement, sir.”

“No, I don’t.” Ross stared down the other man. “You’ve done a good job. Pack up and get our men on a plane. We’re going home.”

The men separated. Blonsky went out the front door to stew over the news while Ross climbed the stairs, earning access to the roof. He looked over the city, knowing Banner was no longer in it and wondered, as he had so many times before, just where the man was going.

~~~~~

**Days Without Incident: 1**

It was humid…wet…and he was lying on something really, really hard.

It had happened again. He mentally cursed as he pushed himself off of the wet rock to kneel. At least his pants were still partially intact…well enough to cover the private bits at least. He was in the forest somewhere, lying next to a waterfall. The sounds of the birds and the insects were filling his ears, but he couldn’t appreciate the beauty or life around him.

He had to get up, had to keep moving. There was no way to know how close Ross was and by now he’d screwed his chances to talk to S.H.I.E.L.D. Hopefully, he was near a village where he could replace his torn clothes and get his bearings back.

He was tired, shaky, and it was difficult to keep his mind blank as he walked through the forest looking for a path or a road. Anything that would get him to civilization. The rain had started up, but it wasn’t too heavy though walking in it gave Banner a bit of a chill.

He heard the sound of an old motor, saw the beat up looking truck, and struggled to get to the road. Holding up one hand, as the other was holding his pants, he got the driver to stop. People were more trusting and helpful here. Banner walked towards the truck his speech already prepared in his head, knowing that he was going to look crazy regardless, just because of the situation.

“Wait, please.” He stumbled towards the open window, switching to Portuguese. “Can you help me?”

The man spoke Spanish. “I don’t speak Portuguese.”

Spanish…Banner could do Spanish. Just how far had he traveled if they were speaking Spanish?

“Wait, where am I?” Pausing, he had to re-asked the question in Spanish.

“En Guatemala.”

Well fuck.

“I’m going to the next town,” the man continued seeing Banner’s distress and shock.

“Will you help me, please?”

“Of course,” the man said opening the door. “Get in.” The man had a blanket and draped it over his shoulders. “Here, put this on.”

Banner was grateful for the kindness of strangers and the natural harshness of the land. Little to no worry about Hydra, and the people were kind and hearty and passionate. They easily helped an outsider and that was the only way Banner had survived up until now.

“Where are you going?” The man asked making polite conversation.

Banner smiled despite his situation. “Home.”

~~~~~

“Wheels up, we’re heading back to New York,” Steve demanded as he walked onto the plane. Sitwell, May, and Coulson were moving the moment they heard his voice. May went up to the cockpit to get the clearance to take off. Sitwell moved out of the way, attempting to avoid an obviously angry Rogers. Coulson, as the senior ranked agent on mission, told him to recall Barton and Romanoff before he approached Rogers.

“What happened out there, sir? One minute we heard you and the scuffle loud and clear, then a loud roar then the coms went dead.”

“Sorry, I was busy avoiding a forklift being thrown in my direction. I didn’t realize that my com was gone until after everything was over and I couldn’t call a ride.”

Coulson had stopped at the word ‘thrown.’ “Forklift, sir?”

Steve spun around to scour at him. “Phil, we’ve known each other long enough to forget the sirs. Right now, I’m still trying to process what I saw and I’m furious as hell at Ross, so until I talk to him and get some answers…I couldn’t even do a proper debrief right now if I tried.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose, covering his face a bit, and sat down in one of the chairs. Coulson stood over him, watching the man crumble a bit. This wasn’t the first time Coulson had seen it, but given Roger’s past, the man had to release the tension somehow.

“Can I get you anything, um…Rogers, sir?”

A single blue eye peaked out still annoyed. That hadn’t helped at all.

“Steve,” he corrected, sighing as his arm fell limp against the arm of the chair. “How many times do I have to tell you that when we’re alone you can call me by my first name? We’re friends, Phil or at least I thought we were after I signed those trading cards. Especially when I hate doing stuff like that.”

“We are, but it’s a bit awkward…at least for me. Maybe someday,” Coulson answered allowing a genuine smile cross his face. It was good to be considered a friend of Steve Rogers. “And you didn’t answer my question. I was asking as your friend.”

“We wouldn’t happen to have a punching bag, would we?”

“We do. The director insisted that be added to your requisition list for ever one of your missions. It’s downstairs in the cargo hold. It’s gonna take a few minutes to set it up, but while I do that, you can change into something else.”

“These clothes are already dirty. I’m not going to waste clean clothes to go a few rounds.”

“Then stretch. By the time I get it set up, Natasha will probably be back. Maybe you two can try to spar again.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Steve looked out the window. He knew it would be a little bit before they could take off, as much as he wanted to get back as soon as possible. Even as angry as he was, he was still aware of what was going on around him.

“Steve,” Coulson tested out calling him that, even if it still didn’t quite feel right. “Can I at least ask how you’re planning on getting answers out of General Ross?”

“After threatening him over the radio of one of his soldiers, he agreed to meet with me at the New York base in a few days. If he doesn’t show…well I am Steve Rogers. As much as I hate the fame, my name alone can get me on any US military base in the world with very little trouble. There aren’t too many places Ross can hide from me.”

“Good point,” Coulson said. “I’ll let you know when your punching bag is set up. Give me at least ten minutes.”

“Fine,” Steve said in affirmation watching the younger man leave him alone with his thoughts.

He still couldn’t completely believe what he had seen. Now he knew why Ross thought Banner dangerous. The question now was whether or not that was Banner himself, experimented on by the military and turned into that creature against his will, or if Banner was the person who was behind the scenes controlling the thing. Regardless the monster he had seen was too strong…too powerful to be allowed to run loose.

Steve knew that even with his enhanced skills, this was too much for him. He couldn’t pick up a forklift and chuck it to the other side of a factory…not that he would ever try to do something like that. Nothing was adding up and Steve knew that Ross wasn’t going to give him any answers easily. He should call Tony in case he needed to take legal action, but his godson was still dealing with the aftermath of his announcement that he was the man in the flying armor.

He needed to be smart about this and he needed to figure out a way to find Banner. Finding Banner, meant staying close to Ross. After last night, Ross and even Blonsky would be relentless in their pursuit of Banner. Ross had been after him for months already, and would continue to search for the man until he was caught and Steve knew the only way he was going to get another shot at Banner was to play nice, no matter how angry he was that Ross had meddled in things that he had no business meddling in. He needed to know exactly what Ross did or had Banner do. At this point, he was going to have to play it by ear and possibly by their rules. First thing, he had to have a good long talk with Ross and put his cards on the table. Hopefully, things would go his way.

~~~~~

Blonsky met up with Ross when they returned to the states. He wanted answers to the questions the General refused to answer when they’d been in Banner’s apartment. Hopefully, it was a matter of the location not being secure. All the soldier knew was he wanted another crack at Banner. He would play by Ross’ rules if it meant getting an edge on fighting the monster. There was something about this that he couldn’t walk away from, and he would be the one to make the offer.

The two men walked into the compound together, pushing through the doors and Blonsky couldn’t keep himself quiet any longer.

“I’ve run into bad situations on crap missions before. I’ve seen good men go down purely because someone didn’t let us know what we were walking into. I’ve moved on to the next one because that’s what we do, right? I mean, that’s the job. But this?”

The two men paused looking at each other. Ross knew what Blonsky was doing, and stared the man down. The man was almost grinning up at Ross as he looked directly in the General’s eyes.

“This is a whole new level of weird. And I don’t feel inclined to step away from it. So if you’re taking another crack at him, I want in. And, with respect, you should be looking for a team that’s prepped and right to fight, because if that thing shows up again, you’re gonna have a lot of professional tough guys pissing in their pants. Sir.”

~~~~~

Banner walked through the streets still trying to hold up his pants. The first few days were kinda rough. He had no money, no other clothes, no place to stay. His skin was filthy and his feet had sores on them. For the first night, he slept on the streets before moving on the next day. Now he was dozing outside of a market and a little boy walked up and dropped a few coins in his cupped hands. He glanced up to see the boy walking away and he marveled at the kindness of strangers once again.

He went into the market and bought a shirt, sandals, and a pair of pants. The lady he spoke to handed him pants that would fit his normal frame. If he transformed again, pants like these weren’t going to work.

“Tienes mas stretchy?”*

She held up a pair with an elastic waistband. Better, much better.

“Yeah. Perfecto.”*

He made his way north, sleeping in the alley ways and on the streets at night. His night were filled with nightmares of gunfire and Betty injured which made for restless sleep most nights. Determination was his friend. Home was the goal and so he continued on enjoying the sights as he went.

~~~~~

Steve managed to find his modern military uniform hidden in the back of his closet with all of the junk he’d collected over the years. S.H.I.E.L.D. had provided an updated version to him every time they changed it and it hadn’t stopped. If it weren’t for Fury yelling at him for throwing all the other ones away, he’d have tossed this one out too.

He respected those who were drafted or signed up to fight in this never ending war. Too many good men and woman had died and yet more were still signing up every day to fight for home and country. Of all the people in the world, the members of the armed service had his respect and admiration. They did what he, as one man, could not.

Several of them passed by as he waited outside of the office with General Thaddeus Ross on the door. He hadn’t expected to come all the way down to Ross’ office in Virginia. When he’d gotten back, Ross had already been back in the country a day and had sent him a notice saying that if Rogers wanted to meet with him, he was going to have to come as the General was too busy to come to New York. The Colonel was annoyed, but he still needed answers.

At least Ross hadn’t made it more difficult for him. His name had been at the gate and an escort had been waiting for him upon his arrival to take him to the General. Now he was just waiting for the man to show up. The escort had gotten Steve a bottle water and apologized. Ross was in some important meeting and would be there as soon as he was able. Given that Steve hadn’t given the General a time, he counted on having to wait and although he didn’t know Ross all that well, he got the sense that the man would have made him wait anyway.

He’d been waiting about 20 minutes when the General walked around the corner. The man paused for a moment, before he forced a smile on his face. Steve stood and extended his hand as Ross stepped closer.

“Colonel Rogers, I have to admit I forgot you were coming today. It’s been a while,” Ross sounded courteous though Steve knew he was far from happy to see him.

“General Ross, thank you for meeting with me today.”

They shook hands, looking into each others' eyes, both determined to reach their goal and wary of the other man and what they wanted. Ross gestured to his office and followed Rogers into the room. Steve took a seat in front of the desk and Ross went around to sit.

“Well, you were the one who wanted to meet with me Colonel. What can I do for Captain America today?”

“I need more information on Banner.”

Ross sat back calmly in his chair.

“I’m sorry, Colonel. I cannot help you with that.”

Steve paused for a moment. “I think that you can, you just don’t want to. After all, you’re the one who’s hell bent on catching the man. This mission is too personal for you. I think that you don’t want to share for whatever reason.”

“You’re right Colonel. I don’t want to discuss it. You are no longer active in the military and you have no reason to be involved in this project.”

“Actually, General I do.”

Steve reached into the jacket of his uniform. It was so tight that he could fit the file folder on the inside and it not fall out. Plopping it down onto the desk, Ross cautiously reached for it and opened it up to look it over. It was worth the small bribe he’d given to Natasha and Clint to pull an extra shift and find out as much as they could about Banner’s time in Brazil. There was also pictures from the security footage at the plant. The images were blurry, but there was one that was unmistakable. The large green, muscular monster chucking a forklift made for spectacular imagery. Ross threw it back down.

“Where did you get these?”

Steve smirked. “I have good people. They know what they’re doing and managed to get a copy of this before your crew came in and scrubbed all existence of the incident.”

“And what do you plan to do with this information?”

“Nothing, if you bring S.H.I.E.L.D. in fully on the investigation.” Ross made a face. “You asked for our help, General. Now that S.H.I.E.L.D. has taken more of an interest in bringing Banner in, you act like you no longer want it. Does that mean you also don’t want the resources we’ve given you? I can always ask the director to recall them.”

Ross looked like he ate something sour. His face was beginning to turn a bit on the pink side, but he managed to get control. This was a man who knew what was at stake and how to calm his anger to salvage a situation. Taking a few breaths. He unclenched his fists and managed to smile despite what Steve put in front of him.

“This isn’t how S.H.I.E.L.D. operates. They protect ordinary people from stuff like this. You wouldn’t put this out there. And you won’t pull your resources for the same reason. Your threat is an empty one, Colonel.”

Steve wasn’t about to let the Colonel win this. He wasn’t about to be outwitted by a man who held no regard for the lives of others. Lips curled and he rested his arms on the desk.  
  
“General, S.H.I.E.L.D. may not be willing to do so, but I’m not S.H.I.E.L.D. If it means bringing you to justice for you part in creating this,” he gestured to the folder. “I will have no choice but to release these pictures. The government will take action. Even if this was sanctioned, they will dump everything on you to save face. You’re career, everything you’ve worked for General...will be over.”

“You’re bluffing,” Ross insisted.

“Believe what you want. I’ll prove it with my actions.”

Ross thought about it for a moment. “What do you want?”

“I want to be brought in, to help you catch up to Banner. I was there with Blonsky. I saw what that thing was capable of. It needs to be stopped, no matter the cost. If you bring me in, I will have my team focus on searching for Banner. In exchange, I want to be with you on the next mission to capture him and bring him in.”

“That’s it. That’s all you want.”

“For now,” Steve’s tone was a bit harsher than he wanted, but Ross must have gotten it because he wasn’t comfortable.

“Fine, we’ll share information and when the time comes to take him down, we’ll take him in…together,” Ross dropped his voice. “And after this is all done. I never want to hear from you again, Rogers.”

Steve stared him down, “Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. When this is done, I still have something else to discuss with you. After that, you might get your wish.”

Steve was rather pleased with himself. The foul mood he’d been experiencing lately was being more constructive in dealing with Ross. When this was over, Ross would find himself on the end of a great deal of trouble. For now though, Steve had made it in. He wasn’t planning on helping Ross’ cause at all. He needed to get to Banner and hear the man’s story. Then and only then, would he be able to make a decision on what to do.

Rogers stepped out of Ross’ office and noticed Blonsky sitting outside of the room. He didn’t know what to make of the man being there, but he was going to assume that it wasn’t a good thing for him. Still he maintained a professional appearance and nodded to the man before making his way out.

Ross watched him leave before glancing at Blonsky and bringing him into the room.

“I’ve thought about what you told me the other day and I think I need someone like you to get Banner back in military custody. Now that Rogers and S.H.I.E.L.D. are showing more interest in Banner, and Rogers is helping to bring him in, I have to make getting him back a priority. ,” Ross beckoned with one hand. “Come with me. I want to show you something big.”

Ross led the way to one of the many garages on the base. Blonsky, pleased that he was getting a second chance, was showing a bit of interest in what Ross was getting ready to show him.

“Let me emphasize that what I’m about to share with you is tremendously sensitive, both to me personally and the Army. You’re aware that we’ve got an Infantry Weapons Development program. Well in WWII they initiated a subprogram for Bio-Tech Force Enhancement.”

“Yeah, Super Soldiers…Rogers.”

“Yes. An oversimplification, but yes. Rogers has all the legal rights to the research of the subprogram and ended any and all research into that. I tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t cooperate, wouldn’t consider the benefits of the project or of the success of what he is. Instead, the research was locked away, left to gather dust on the old shelves of the military. I found that research and I dusted it off, got ‘em doing serious work again, bold work. Across the hall, they were trying to arm you better. We were tryin’ to make you better.”

Ross stepped away, tossing his hat on a workbench with weapons. Blonsky got the feeling he was about to find out how such a promising project could go so wrong.

“Banner’s work was very early phase. It wasn’t even weapons application. He thought he was working on radiation resistance. I would never have told him what the project really was,” Ross sat down in a chair. “But he was so sure of what he was onto, that he tested it on himself. And something went very wrong. Or it went very right. As far as I’m concerned, that man’s whole body is the property of the US Army.”

“You said he wasn’t working on weapons, right?”

“No” Ross shook his head.

“But you were. You were, weren’t you? You were trying other things.”

Ross nodded once. “One serum we developed was very promising.”

“So why did he run?”

Ross stood, getting into Blonsky’s face a bit. “He’s a scientist. He is not one of us.”

Ross stepped away to pace for a second. He thought about what he was going to say and crossed his arms over his chest. He took a deep breath.

“Blonsky, how old are you? 45?”

Blonsky bit his lip. “39.”

Ross couldn’t say he was surprised. Blonsky was one of those hell razors that had seen combat one to many times and reveled in a challenge. Men like that looked like Blonsky…older, grayer, but with fire in their eyes.

“It takes a toll, doesn’t it?”

“Yes it does,” Blonsky responded with a nod. He knew exactly what Ross was insinuating.

“So get out of the trenches. You should be a Colonel by now, with your record,” Ross said testing the man one more time. He needed to know Blonsky would be up for this.

“No, I’m a fighter. I’ll be one for as long as I can. You know, if I could take what I know now, put it in the body I had ten years ago, that would be someone I wouldn’t want to fight.”

No hesitation. Guts…glory…fighting…it was what the man lived for. Ross could come to respect a man like that and Emil Blonsky was proving to be the reckless kind of man who was willing to put everything on the line. Ross could cash in on that…would cash in on that.

“I could probably arrange something like that.”

“And Rogers, sir?”

“Let me deal with Rogers. He’s a unpredictable factor and I need you and your men to focus. I’ll contact you with the details. And Blonsky,” Ross paused.

“Sir?”

“Let’s keep this between us, for now.”

“Yes sir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay folks. I did say I was doing NaNoWriMo, though I got some inspiration for this story and I've been writing it over the last week or so. I've got the next chapter half way done, so I'll probably have that up on Sunday. This isn't betaed, but I couldn't not post it, so I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> Translations: (Because I decided to actually include the Spanish I can remember, because I took 3 freaking years of it in high school and I can remember some of it).  
> Tienes mas stretchy?* - Do you have something more stretchy?  
> Perfecto* - Perfect
> 
> As always, please continue to feed my needy muse with more Kudos and Comments! I like hearing from people as far a constructive criticism goes and questions if I make something unclear. Thanks again you guys!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party for side stories:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	19. Reunions and Reserch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce goes searching for the research data for Mr. Blue. He reunites with an old friend and an old flame. Ross makes some preparations for his next move.

**Days Without Incident: 17**

It took Banner a few weeks to get back into the states and travel up to the only place he could call his home. Culver University hadn’t changed that much in the year he’d been away. Already he could see they had fixed what the other guy had destroyed. The campus seem to be thriving with students and Banner, even with his tattered clothes, baseball cap, and paper didn’t stand out so much. He was here for answers.

He went into the building and walked down the familiar hall where the lab was. An unfamiliar sight greeted him when he got to the main hallway. Banner guessed the big guy left an impression as he was caught staring at a metal detector and a guard booth. Security was there checking ids and was glancing at Banner strangely. He swallowed hard and turned going another way than the way he came.

He should have known it wasn’t going to be easy and he needed to come up with another plan. Banner walked around campus, trying to think of a way in. Constantly he had to be vigilant. Already it was a risk for him to be here being closer to Ross than he wanted to be. There was also the fact that he was surrounded by innocent people who could possibly be hurt if he got worked up, so he had to be careful…to be in control at all time.

Curiosity got the best of him and he couldn’t concentrate. He was here, at his old school, the same school where Betty was. He knew she had started teaching again. Maybe he could get a peek. Just one, to see for himself that she was okay.

He found the directory and his eyes jumped to Dr. Elizabeth Ross, Cellular Biology, A230.

Betty was beautiful. She was walking out with a couple other faculty. They were talking, all had coffee in their hand and Betty had her bag draped over body. The trio were talking…Betty looked happy and healthy. Bruce couldn’t help himself. He had to get a closer look. He left his hiding spot, walking over to where she was.

The others had to go, leaving Betty alone. She waved and took a seat on one of the campus benches lining the sidewalk. Her smile was as bright as she pulled out her phone to look at a message. Bruce wished he could go to her, and knew that he couldn’t. It wasn’t safe.

Then, she looking in his direction. For a moment, he thought she saw him and he ducked behind a tree. He paused and watched her smile at the approaching man. He didn’t look familiar, but he couldn’t get a good look at him from the angle. They kissed and began to chat before walking down the path.

Banner was shocked, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. His chest felt heavy as he stepped out to watch the couple walk away from him, holding hands as they walked further away from him. She had moved on and Bruce knew she deserved to be happy. It didn’t make it hurt any less. He needed to get some answers…at least some kind of closure. There was only one person who could give that to him.

Stanley’s was a place that hadn’t changed one bit. The same neon sign, high above the door on the white brick. The black and white signage letting people know it was a pizza parlor sat above a green, red, and white striped awning with red lining was a little aged from the weather, but still in good shape. Bruce watched as the owner let out the last few customers.

“Take care, kids,” the older gentlemen said pulling the door closed, flipping the sign from open to close, and locking up.

He tapped on the glass and Stan pointed at the closed sign. Rapping again, the man finally looked up pausing to do a slow sweep as if he couldn’t believe his eyes. Bruce managed a smile. The door never opened so quickly.

Stan insisted on getting him some food and a bit of coffee. He sat down to listen to Bruce give some sort of an explanation for his sudden disappearance. He owed the man that.

“Stan, I give you my word, whatever you’ve heard of me, it’s not true,” he started off.

“Oh, I know it. I always knew it. I mean, you know how I felt about you two.”

Bruce did know. He was referring to him and Betty. Stan loved him and Betty. Thought they were a good for each other and made a great couple. Bruce couldn’t meet the older man’s eye.

“Have you talked to her?”

“No,” Bruce denied. “She doesn’t know that I’m here.”

Stan looked crushed. Bruce had to know. “She’s with somebody?”

“Yeah, he’s a head shrink. They say he’s one of the best. But a really nice guy.”

“Oh,” Bruce didn’t know what else to say. “Good. That’s good.”

“Bruce, what can I do to help you?”

“I could use a bed for a few nights.”

Not a problem. “Ah, you can have the spare room upstairs.”

“That’d be so great.” Bruce was tired of sleeping on the streets, but it had been a necessity. He was grateful for any comfort at this point. “There is one other thing…”

The next day, Bruce was decked out in a Stanley’s jacket and hat, riding a delivery bike across the campus. He rang the little bell and weaved in and out of the wave of students, with a brief “excuse me,” “pardon me,” and “coming through.” It didn’t take long for him to reach the correct building.

Walking down the hall, he took a deep breath carrying the pizza bag. If this didn’t work, he really didn’t have a back-up plan…well he did, but it might not work. He was calm though as he approached the guard booth.

“Hey, pal. I got a delivery on five.”

The guard shrugged. “I don’t think there’s anybody up there.”

“Oh, man,” Bruce took off the cap, flopping it on the counter. “I’m gonna catch hell if I don’t collect. You got to let me try.”

The guard didn’t look impressed. He wasn’t budging on it. So much for compassion.

“I’ll tell you what. I got an extra medium. Take it on the house.”

The guard got to his feet and approached, his face not giving anything away. He lifted up the lid of the pizza box. With a grin, he jerked his head towards the stairs.

“You are the man,” Bruce held up his hand to do a bro like handshake. The guard returned the gesture.

“God bless you, brother.”

It was strange…a weirder level of nostalgia as he walked through the hall of labs. Instead of the setup they’d had before, the room was turned into a large computer lab. His mind went back to the sight of the equipment through the viewing window. He remembered Betty watching him as he winked. He remembered the machine delivering the gamma radiation that changed everything.

The lab tech was just as easily bribed by pizza. Holding up a slice as if toasting Banner while he chewed and nodded. Bruce took a seat at one of the computers. He had to log in under Dr. Elizabeth Ross and hope that her password was still b-r-u-c-e. It was.

The computer booted up and he attempted to do a search. Gamma Pulse came up with no results found. B*Banner got the same reaction. Damn. The research was gone. Noticing the Ecryptnet icon on the main page, he clicked on it. Maybe Mr. Blue could help.

_Mr. Green! How goes the search?_

_The data is gone._

_Without it…I cannot help. So what now?_

_I’ve got to keep moving._

He couldn’t afford to stay. Between seeing Betty and the research being wiped, he couldn’t take another blow. Being this close to Ross was bothering him too. He was leaving sooner than he had told Stan, but he’d at least wait until the parlor was closed…give a proper goodbye this time.

He packed up some of his things. Stan had kept a few of Bruce’s personal items that he’d left behind. He’d even gotten a few pairs of stretch pants for Bruce. He hated to just run, but this wasn’t something he really had a choice about. He shut off the light to the room and made his way down.

Unbeknownst to him, the bell on the door to the parlor jingled and Stan stepped out of the kitchen. It was getting late and he really didn’t have anything left.

“We’re pretty well closed here, folks. I’m sorry,” Stan said as he stepped into the dining room.

“Oh, come on Stan. It’s Friday night,” Betty greeted smiling at the older man. Her current boyfriend was also smiling, standing by her side.

Stan sighed. This was going to either be really good or a disaster. “Oh kids, I got nothing but marinara now.”

“Oh, I got to have a Mister Pink, please.”

“She worked through dinner again, of course,” the man by her side said in way of explanation. It was a bad habit of Betty’s. Stan could hear Bruce walking down the steps, but he couldn’t turn away from a pretty face, so he relented. Maybe he could make it into the kitchen before Bruce could come looking.

Bruce called for Stan. The kitchen was dark and the older man was nowhere to be found. He could hear the voices coming from the dining room. Stan must have a few stragglers. There was a bit of laughter and he caught a bit of a story.

Stan kept his eye on the kitchen door. Mentally he chanted, hoping Bruce would hear him and stay hidden. Betty was laughing at the story her boyfriend was telling her.

“And he…I go ‘so, yeah, I mean, where were you? I can’t…I don’t know where you were, Cecil. And he goes, ‘not where you been at.’ I thought, ‘oh, my god.’ I just felt so awful.”

Betty laughed lifting her head in the direction of the door…just in time for Bruce to open the door. Her companion blocked her view and when she went to look again. Bruce was gone. She knew what she had seen though. Rising, she made her way through the dining room, through the kitchen and out the back door. Bruce had been there and he didn’t tell her and neither did Stan. And now, she couldn’t see him, couldn’t talk to him and get some answers.

Thunder rumbled above her and she spoke softly, “Bruce?”

He stayed hidden behind the dumpster. There was no way he could come out and face her. If he were to stay, she would only get hurt again.

“Betty? What’s going on?” An unfamiliar voice called. Another roar of thunder covered the sound of her footsteps, but the door clicking shut was unmistakable. For the first time in a long time, Banner felt like crying.

Betty walked with purpose, her face distraught as she re-entered the dining room. Stan was stepping back as she approached, holding up a hand. “Betty…”

“Just tell me if I saw what I think I saw.”

“I don’t know what to say,” he answered honestly.

“Please,” she said on the verge of tears. “Just tell me the truth.”

And he did. Everything that he knew. He wasn’t even finished talking when Betty was out the door and getting into her car. She had to find him, though that would be difficult in all the rain. She drove the path she thought Bruce would take until she came upon a man hitchhiking on the side of the road. He was soaked, from head to toe when the lights shined on his back. She pulled over, slowed down, begging him to turn so she could see. He stopped and she stopped rolling after him, getting out of the car and out in the downpour. It was Bruce, he was alive…he was okay.

She couldn’t not go to him and once she started towards him, he came back towards her. Betty leapt into his arms. She held onto him, begging him.

“Don’t go. Don’t go,” she pleaded until they broke apart. “I want you to come with me now. Please. Come with me. Please.”

He nodded and they embraced once more. Sooner or later he would have to leave, but for now, for tonight, he could let himself go with her. The ride was quiet, peaceful, though they both had so many questions. The answers could wait as they held hands all the way back to Betty’s home.

Betty pulled the car into the garage, with Bruce laying down in the passenger seat. They made it quickly into the house hoping the rain would keep them from being seen by anyone. She made sure to pull the curtains closed and both of them changed out of their wet clothes into something warm and dry.

Once they were settled, Betty held out a box to Bruce. He took it slightly confused. As he opened it, she began to explain.

“It’s our data. I got in there before they carted it all away. I hoped somewhere that it might tell us something someday.”

Tucked inside the box was a white flash drive with a lanyard attached. Something so simple, yet for Bruce, it was like Christmas had come early.

“Does the General know that you have this?”

“No, I don’t think so. I haven’t spoken to him in a couple of years.”

“You have to be sure,” Bruce pushed.

“Bruce, I don’t understand why we can’t just go in there together and talk to him.”

“He told me what he wanted to do. He wants it out of me. He wants to dissect it so that he can replicate it. He wants to make it a weapon.”

Betty was stunned to say the least. She wasn’t happy with what her father had done for his career, for his relentless pursuit of Bruce, for reasons she was just beginning to understand. She didn’t know what to do anymore, but if it came down to the two of them, she was going to side with Bruce.

~~~~~

Back on the base, Ross went down to the cryo-storage. Punching in the passcode, the door swung open. Now to find the container he needed. In the darkness, it was difficult to see, but he knew the general area. Followed in by a scientist, he shined a light on one of the containers, taking off the plastic covering it. On the label was Stark Industries Cryosync, Program: Weapons Plus, and Developer Dr. Reinstein. This was it. The serum he needed. He’d made an offer after all and he wasn’t a man to go back on his word.

Turning the key in the lock, he did the necessary steps to open the tank. Inside was a good sized vial filled with a blue liquid. Carefully, he took the vial off with a pair of tongs. It was time to call Blonsky.

~~~~~

Bruce was making his bed up on the fold out couch. He heard Betty approach and met her at the doorway. In her hand was a towel and some clothes for him to sleep in.

“Hi,” she said softly looking down at the bundle in her hand.

“Hi,” he replied back to her, feeling like a nervous school boy about to go on a first date.

“I…um…I thought you might want to…” She stumble clumsily over her words.

“Thanks,” Bruce spoke softly, really unsure of how to deal with this. It shouldn’t be this hard. “Listen, I should leave early, as early as I can.”

“Really? You can’t stay at all?”

He shook his head. “I want to, but it’s just not safe for me to be here. If I could borrow some cash…” He hated to ask it of her, but it was necessary.

“Of course.” No hesitation.

“I need to take a bus.”

“Well, at least let me walk you to the station.”

He shouldn’t, really shouldn’t as it wasn’t safe, but after everything they’d gone through, he couldn’t deny her. Not when she was standing right here in front of him with that sad, lost expression on her face.

“Okay.”

“You have everything you need?”

“Yeah,” he paused. He wanted to thank her, but what came out was a whispered, “I…”

“What?”

He shook his head. He couldn’t say the words that would make the situation feel final. Instead he managed to say, “good night.”

“Good night. I hope you get some rest,” she said back to him and made her way to her bedroom.

It was a long awkward night for both of them. The sound of the rain. The memories of the past. The knowledge that the one person they cared about over any other was just a little ways away, and yet they were apart. Too many secrets and unanswered questions. Too much guilt over things they couldn’t control. Too much sadness and heartbreak that they had to be apart.

Eventually, sleep found them with their last thoughts being of the person they loved as they drifted off into happier dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit on the short side, but it seemed like the best way to end this chapter. I've been on a roll this week, busting out a chapter every other day just about. I've got them sent into my beta and so there will be something every week for the next couple of weeks. I have a few other projects in the works...Interlude Party and I am also working on something I like to call the Tales of Steve and Bucky which will kick off with a Hydra Verse First Avenger's story. I really hope you guys are enjoying this and although the stories right now are sticking close to the movies, there will be changes in the future.
> 
> As always, please continue to feed my needy muse with more Kudos and Comments! I like hearing from people as far a constructive criticism goes and questions if I make something unclear. Thanks again you guys!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party for side stories:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	20. Ambush On Campus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blonsky gets an upgrade. Ross and Blonsky get their rematch against the Hulk, but some of their choices end in disaster.

Blonsky walked into the lab prepped and ready to go. If this stuff that Ross had been talking about was going to get him on par with the big green monstrosity, well he was willing to do anything. He didn't balk when he saw the materials, didn't even mind being a lab rat. All he knew was he wanted to be a stronger, faster, more capable fighter.

“We’re giving you a very low dose only. I need you sharp out there and disciplined. First sign of any side effect, we stop and you’re off team until you straighten out. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

The soldier nodded, though he had no real intention to tell Ross if there was a side effect at this point. He wasn't a weak man and he understood pain…the pain it took to push past your limits to become stronger. If this is what it took, well he’d shown up. If that wasn't willingness, he wasn't sure what was.

“You’ll get two separate infusions. One into the deep muscle, one into the bone marrow centers,” the doctor spoke trying to let Blonsky know exactly what he was signing on for. “The bone ones are going to hurt.”

The muscle injections they put into the thick muscles of his neck. Then they strapped him down to a flipping table, turning him over so his back was face up towards them. The doctor wasn't lying about the bone marrow injection. He jerked once and fought not to cry out. He was a man, damn it. He wasn't going to let this affect him. With one final jerk as they pushed the serum in, he went limp in his restraints. It was done, now to find out if it worked.

~~~~~

Bruce and Betty made the decision to walk. The bus station wasn't too far away and from what they could see, Ross and his men still didn't know Banner was here. They were being cautious though. They may not see anything, but that didn't mean Ross wasn't watching. Bruce was looking around warily as he approached where Betty was waiting for him.

“Is everything okay?”

He did one more sweep with his eyes. “I think so.”

Thunder rumbled in the distance as they walked on campus. The air smelled thick with moisture and dark clouds could be seen past one of the buildings as they crossed one of the quadrants. After a moment, he felt Betty’s hand tighten about around his arm as she stopped.

“Come here,” she said with a giggle. She untucked his shirt from his pants and adjusted it. “I just wanna do this. It looks better like that.”

“Yeah?”

She removed his hat and ran a hand through his hair. This was hard for her. She had just gotten him back and he had to leave her again. She wasn't so concerned about his secrets, all she wanted was to be with him, but they both knew he couldn't stay and she couldn't go with him.

“It feels too tight, huh?” He asked and she wasn't entirely sure he meant his clothing.

“Yeah, a little.”

“Okay.”

There was a pause, a slight bit of movement in his peripheral vision. Soldiers in black moving, ducking behind pillars or bushes. They’d been too careless, too open and casual of being out in the open.

“What?” Betty asked when she noticed how still he’d gotten.

“They’re here,” Bruce responded, keeping his voice light. She turned and followed his line of sight just in time to see one duck behind a wall. “Betty, look at me, look at me!”

“Bruce!” She said in a breathless panic.

“You have to go far away from me as you can! Don’t argue with me, just go. Go!”

“Bruce!” She tried to stop him, but then she saw the military vehicles. It was her father and his men and they were plowing through civilian cars chasing after the running man running towards the outskirts of the University. Betty took off running after Bruce, hoping that somehow she could get him to safety or ask her father to stand down.

“Damn it!” Ross said from the safety of a tank. “We’d have had snipers on target in three more minutes. I wanna know who jumped the gun.”

He had a feeling he already knew. Blonsky had been ready to rumble from the moment Rogers had arrived with his team to assist. Ross knew that this was turning into a competition for the younger soldier, but they were going to need cool heads and tactics to take Banner in.

The man in question came running through the trees with his squadron. Rogers and his ground team, Agents May and Romanoff were close behind him. Barton was somewhere with the snipers relocating to take offensive measures.

“He’s heading 2-7-0,” Blonsky yelled into his radio as Rogers caught up to him.

“Blonsky,” the older man yelled, but was ignored turning to engage in a more accurate pursuit of his target.

Banner saw them running. Recognized Blonsky and Rogers from Brazil heading straight towards him. He had to turn, head for the buildings. Blonsky and Rogers were keeping an equal pace, but had to split up to avoid the slower soldiers they were running past. They glanced at each other once as they reached the head of the pack and there was a call out on the radio.

“Blonksy! Rogers! Not yet!” Ross yelled and they came to a stop, their men and women still running to catch up to them.

“He’s getting away, Ross,” Rogers said into his radio even as Blonsky brought the team to a halt.

“Wait!” Ross ordered.

“Sir,” Blonsky confirmed before addressing the others. “Look alive. This could get interesting.”

“This isn't a game, Blonsky,” Rogers said to the other man.

“I’m not treating this as some game. I want this done, the same as you and Ross. We have our orders to wait and if Ross has a plan, well then we should hang back in case what happens in Brazil happens again.”

Rogers clearly didn't like it, but even he had to agree. The two best suited for taking down the green monster were him and Blonsky and they were going to have to hang back and wait. Hopefully, they wouldn't be necessary, but Steve had a feeling in his gut that Blonsky was right. Things were going to get interesting…and dangerous very quickly

Banner ran into the library, several men still moving. Outside the vehicles were closing in on the campus, Betty running some distance behind them. It was chaos, as Banner ran through the sea of books looking for a way out. There were men behind him, so he took a corner out into a corridor and began to climb the stairs. Men swarmed the library, and Banner ducked behind one of the shelves. He scrambled to get his bag open, bulling the flash drive out. He needed it, had to keep it safe, so he did what he had to…he put it in his mouth, forced it to the back of his throat and swallowed, gagging on the device and praying it would survive in his stomach.

Betty ran out into the next clearing looking at the chaos that was obviously a military assault on the campus. Why was her father so relentless in chasing Bruce? What could she do to stop this? She had to try. She saw one of the tanks riding up the road and took off running towards. It. Stepping out in front of the vehicle, she began to yell.

“Stop! Stop!”

Ross recognized that voice. Would never forget that voice as the tank came to an abrupt halt. He stood up to get a look through the viewing area.

“I know you’re in there! General, please!”

“Sir?” Spar questioned as he leaned back.

“DAD!” Betty screamed trying to force him to stop and think. She already couldn't forgive him for what he had done to Bruce. This would just be more fuel for her anger and resentment towards him. Ross kept his face neutral as he opened up the back of the tank and stepped out. Betty heard the door open, saw him step around and approached him with a mission of her own.

“Dad, please don’t do this.”

He grabbed her…shook her a bit. “You can’t see this clearly. Now, get inside.”

He began to lead her to the back. He needed his daughter safe. He couldn't deal with her getting hurt again.

“There he is,” one of his men yelled and Ross had to turn and look.

Banner had recovered from nearly choking on the flash drive and had run up into a large overpass with top to bottom windows. He was running across when the call came out on the radio.

_“Target is in the overpass. We have a visual.”_

“Do not engage! Repeat, do not engage!” Ross ordered.

The soldiers on the far side of the overpass shut the doors, locking them so Banner had to stop. He turned back to go back the way he came in and the soldiers there were already doing the same. Bruce found himself trapped unable to get out. Guns were aimed at him, so he headed to the center of the overpass.

_“He’s locked in,”_ another soldier reported.

Bruce looked around. He really wasn't getting out of this. Betty watched on in horror as the general…her own father gave his orders

“Put two canisters in there with him.” Two soldiers moved forward to follow the orders. They yelled fire, launching the canisters from their weapons into the glass windows of the overpass. The gas was designed to knock its target out.

Bruce ducked, throwing his hands up to protect his face. He scrambled as the gas released into his cage. There was too much of it for it to escape out the two holes the canisters made, so he yanked off his top shirt and pressed it to his nose and mouth. This wasn't good and he could already feel his heart racing too fast, pounding inside of his chest to the point it was starting to hurt.

Betty began to run towards Bruce. She couldn't not do anything.

“Get her back here,” Ross ordered. His daughter wasn't going far. She had fire in her as she elbowed one of the men chasing her. Bruce watched, his eyes focused on the sight of her being hunted down by Ross’ men. No, not Betty. He couldn't let her get hurt, not again. The other soldier tackled her to the ground and that’s when he felt the semi-familiar click. He was pissed.

It shocked him, this time felt different and he gasped before the gas engulfed him, keeping him from prying eyes. Blonsky and Rogers watched from a safe distance, both focused on what was going on in that overpass. The adrenaline was spiking, the warning in their guts about the danger was stronger than before. Betty recovered from the tackle to look up…to see if she could see even a shadow of Bruce.

A hand slammed into the glass fracturing it into a spider web pattern. There was a pause as the hand fell, a few loud crunches and other muted sounds. With the force of an explosion, part of the overhang structure went flying through the air causing soldiers to scatter and scramble. The dark shadow through the smoke was large and unidentifiable, though the men knew what it was. They had been briefed this time.

“Now she’ll see,” Ross said. He had to make Betty understand. There was more to this than him wanting Banner. She had to see what Banner was now capable of and the lengths her father would have to go to stop him.

With a loud roar, the creature leapt through the opening, jumping high to reveal itself before crashing into the ground below, leaving dents in the earth with its feet and hands as it stared down the soldiers. In the daylight, they all got their first good look at the monster. Only Ross had seen it before, but the soldiers were all new and Betty, well, she would finally see.

The hulking monster towered over their heads. Skin was a dark green color stretched over bulging muscles. Radioactively light green eyes filled with anger and hatred for the soldiers it was staring down. Veins popped from the skin as if unable to hold back the rush of blood. Teeth, pearly white and clenched tight, clashed with the darkness of the skin. The only thing that was remotely left of Banner was the tousled dark mop of hair on the creature’s head and the shredded remains of pants clinging to skin. The creature was shirtless, barefoot, and ready to rumble with anything and everything thrown at it.

It grunted with each exhale, growling at the sight of Blonsky and Rogers and Ross a little ways away. Soldiers pulled Betty to their feet and everyone, even Ross was gawking at the sight of the creature. It huffed inhaling before letting out a loud sound, a cross between animal and man. It was pain filled and rage driven, but it made a statement. It was either get away, or die trying to take this creature down. Blonsky smirked and the orders finally came over the radio.

“Alpha team? Let him have all of it.”

The barrage of bullets ricochet off skin, but it was unpleasant for the creature. It ducked trying to block the bullets from hitting it in the face. It caught sight of where the soldiers were positioned and stumbled in that direction.

“Come on, light him up!” One of the men yelled as the bullets kept on coming. The Hulk began to charge going for the bulk of the soldiers. Ross saw it and called out to his men.

“Where are the fifty cals? Move your asses!”

The roar of a military vehicle flew past Ross heading straight for the target driving along side of it. The man up top began to fire when the Hulk came over and appeared to barely nudge the thing before it went toppling over the side. Another one came up for the attempt and Ross was half distracted watching that and watching his distraught daughter continue to fight against the hold of the soldiers protecting her.

Right when the Hulk reached the soldiers he turned towards the other vehicle, stepping into the hood of it, bringing the thing to a complete stop and effectively damaging it. Lifting it up high, he swung at the soldiers before smashing it against fixtures and the ground effectively until it was in pieces. Betty gasped. This wasn't her Bruce. What had they done? What had her father done?

The next vehicle was shoved, smashing into another one that was not moving setting both ablaze as the gun fire continued. The noise was now collecting a crowd as students pulled out their phones to take pictures and crappy video of the action. The civilians were freaking out as they saw the chaos and the soldiers being helped off the field, injured from fighting. Ross was furious. This was getting out of control.

“Blonsky, Rogers, now you’re up!”

“Sir,” Blonsky said throwing down his current weapon and snatching up another from a fellow soldier. Rogers stood at the ready with his shield in his hand, helmet put in place. Blonsky glanced over at him and the other men. “Cover me.”

Steve nodded, keeping close behind Blonsky as he fired hitting the back of the Hulk with a fiery blast. The creature managed to pick up a piece of metal when Blonsky fired again. It used the piece as a shield of its own as it pulled another piece of metal from the remnants of the rampage. Blonsky fired again and the Hulk blocked it with the metal piece, pulling them apart to growl.

“Blonsky, wait.” Rogers called, but the other man ignored him. His eyes too focused on the prize.

“Remember me,” Blonsky taunted as he ran, leaping over the Hulk, ditching his gun in the process. Blonsky grabbed a piece of the metal and began firing. Rogers launched his shield, hitting the creature in the back, but it did little good. Not only did the creature not fall, but its eyes were focused on the man above him. Blonsky was the target of its rage now and they were in trouble.

The Hulk swung the metal trying to hit Blonsky, but the man dodged, flipping over its head once more, firing continuously until he was out of ammunition. Throwing the gun away, he and the creature squared off.

Ross and Rogers watched in awe as the Blonsky managed to dodge the creatures every move. Roger’s knew something else had to be in play here, just another thing to ask Ross when this was over, but it was still impressive. Blonsky was almost on par with him as a fighter at this point and the fact he was doing so well against the creature was astounding.

“My God, he’s doing it,” Ross continued to watch as the Hulk slammed one of the metal pieces into the ground about an inch from Blonsky’s feet. Blonsky pushed against the metal, sliding back as the Hulk smashed the metal into the ground, alternating between pieces in an attempt to kill the man in front of him. Rogers was about to jump in and help when the next order came. “Move him towards the cannons!”

Both men took off running for the brush line when large hummers came sailing over the vegetation. Large modern military grade sound wave cannons were welded onto the backs of these machines and Steve recognized them as Stark Industries tech. Rogers and Blonsky were running as fast as they could, the Hulk on their heels and gaining.

“Hold your position!” The soldiers yelled keeping the men out of the way.

“Do it now!” Blonsky yelled.

The machines were turned on as the two soldiers leapt, being knocked in opposite directions by the force of the waves. They hit the ground hard, scrambling to turn and see that the creature had been caught up. May and Natasha, who had been ordered back by Steve earlier, came in to help the man get to his feet. Rogers ordered them to find Barton and get up high and out of sight. It was too dangerous for them now, he’d lie and tell them to back him up on higher ground while he faced the real danger.

Blonsky landed too close, had to cover his ears from the high pitch sound. It hurt his ears. He glanced up at Rogers who was fine. His helmet must muffle the sound. The waves were having an effect on the big green monster. It dropped the metal pieces and seemed to be pushed back by the force of the waves. After struggling against the force, it covered both ears with its giant green hands. Everyone watched on, though Betty by this point, had seen enough. She approached her father.

“Please, please, please, no!”

“Get her back,” Ross said to the soldiers who came in to grab her again.

“Please, please, please!” She screamed. “You’re killing him! Stop! Get off of me!”

The Hulk could hear Betty’s please, her cries, her concern for him. Through the sound, she was shouting a name…his name…over and over again, though it was distorted. It was enough. Enough to give him the strength to crawl on the ground to where the discarded metal panels lay. He brought them up, shielding his body from the constant vibrations that distorted everything around him. Once he could get a clear shot, one of the metal panels went flying, smashing into one of the cannons. The soldiers fell and without both cannons acting together, the creature was able to leap into the air, planting his body and the other panel into the other one.

Ross couldn't believe it. This creature was unreal. He still had a few tricks left though.

“Where’s the gunship?” He called. Said ship was a helicopter flying en route to their location. They would need a few more minutes before it would be there. It was Blonsky that jumped back into the action. Picking up an automatic weapon he began to fire at the Hulk. It was still carrying an edge mangled panel in one hand, using it as a shield. The Hulk grunted as they approached. Blonsky was annoyed and ignored another call from Rogers to not do something.

He tossed the gun away and came to stand directly in front of the creature. Emil Blonsky was not the kind of man to run away. In fact, he had a few words for the creature in front of him, but chose to taunt it instead.

“Is that it?”

“Blonsky!” Rogers yelled, looking over at Ross.

“Blonsky, pull back now. Pull back.”

The soldier ignored both men and yanked out his earpiece. “Is that all you got?”

The Hulk didn't verbally answer. The next thing the soldier knew a big green foot was kicked into his chest and the witnesses all watched as he went sailing across the lawn, eventually hitting the dirt. His body slammed against a tree with so much force that everyone heard the bones breaking. Then all was still and silent for a moment.

“Fall back!” Ross ordered. “Find cover.”

His men relayed the orders over the radio and to the surrounding units. This was too much for them. Rogers was even second guessing his chances, secretly glad that he had sent the rest of his team away. He began to step back slowly, when he noticed someone else approaching the creature.

Betty was in a daze as she walked. This couldn't be Bruce. This creature in front of her was nothing like the man she knew and loved. Bruce wasn't capable of this kind of violence. Maybe she could talk to it, get her Bruce back. The creature approached her warily cautiously and she had to remember to breathe.

Steve watched in awe as the creature wasn't hostile. It was almost…curious? Did he not recognize her? He decided to stay put in case things changed. The rest of the soldiers were still pulling back, but he waited until he heard the words. “Fire, goddamn it!” The gunship was coming. Betty was too close, to the Banner monster. Did Ross not see his daughter?

Betty and the Hulk weren't aware of the danger. In fact, Betty was looking at the creature’s face trying to find some sign that Bruce was still in there somewhere. The creature’s face softened at her staring and that was when she saw it.

“Bruce?” She asked softly as she took another step towards him.

Steve was on the move. He couldn't not try. He had to get the General’s daughter out of there. Banner was distracted by her presence and the sound of whirling helicopter blades told him that he was out of time. As the bullets began to fire, he stepped in wrapping his arms around Betty’s waist and turning around. A bullet grazed his arm as he pulled her against him, angling so that his shield would deflect any other bullets.

He was surprised when a shadow fell over them both. The metal panel placed in front of them. The Banner monster had come up to protect them from the gunfire and was being pelted in the back. Steve could hear Ross yelling and knew he had finally realized his daughter was in harm’s way.

“Stop firing!” He yelled, but it wasn't heard.

In an attempt to stop the helicopter, the Hulk launched the remaining panel, cutting off the propeller of the aircraft and sending it heading towards them. Steve and Betty looked on in horror as it was coming directly for them. Steve pulled the woman close, putting his body between her and the coming inferno. He could only hope that she might survive, but it wasn't likely.

It was then that they found themselves pulled into large arms, against the mass of the creature. The impact was jarring as their bodies slammed against a hard chest and the heat was immense. Betty was knocked out by the force and Roger’s head was aching, his eyes stung, and wound throbbed. Through the chaos, he swore he heard Ross screaming no, and he had a brief thought that the General should be a bit more aware of what was going on. If not for the serum, he would be unconscious too, but he was still in rough shape.

Ross screamed as the fire engulfed Banner and his daughter. His soldiers watched on in horror. Nothing could survive something like that. It was then that the skies opened up and the rain began to fall, masking the shock of all of the parties who had seen Betty Ross, Steve Rogers, and the Hulk be taken out in an instant. Ross fought back his grief, trying to breathe through the pain.

It was then that he saw it…movement in the flames. The Hulk was standing looking down at something…no someone…a pair of people in its arms. Rogers was being held up by the creature. He was conscious, but obviously not in good shape. Betty was in the other arm, limp as she was cradled tenderly against the creature’s chest. Ross could barely see it, but his daughter was breathing…she was alive. He breathed a bit in relief, but now the worry was that she was in the arms of a dangerous thing.

Banner’s focus was on Betty. She’d been hurt, but the man…Rogers…tried to save her. He saw Ross and his men standing there and growled low. The man displayed a bit of fear and that mollified the anger in him somewhat. Now it was time to get away. To take the two people in his arms and get away from this. He turned and stepped into the smoke, carrying them away from the death and destruction. Where he was going, he didn't know, but at least if he got away they would all be safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been one heck of a week you guys. My computer went down and I found out that my hard drive is dying, so I might have to invest in a new one. Initially, my NaNoWriMo novel and all the stuff I have written for this story and this verse were not on back ups, so I thought that all was lost. Thankfully, my step-dad is letting me borrow his computer and I found out that I have backup copies from my beta since I send them to her via facebook to edit, so yay! 
> 
> Another plus, I've got a friend who works on computers and he's been able to save some of my stuff and brought me a few things today. It will be a couple more days to find out exactly what I still have, but I got my NaNo novel back and a few other projects I'd been working on, so I'm content with that. I do have two more chapters of this written so we've got two more weeks of updates, but I don't know what's going to happen between now and then. It depends on what I can get back and whether I can get a new computer. I do ask you guys to be patient and I'll give you an update in a few weeks.
> 
> As always, please continue to feed my needy muse with more Kudos and Comments! I like hearing from people as far a constructive criticism goes and questions if I make something unclear. Thanks!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party for side stories:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	21. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both sides deal with the aftermath of what happened on the campus. Plans are made for the next round.

Dr. Samson was sitting on the front porch of Betty’s home. He was having a hard time digesting what he had seen in the last two hours. He couldn’t explain what he had seen. Betty had walked up to a large, green, humanish creature and all Hell broke loss. She was almost killed…could still be killed, as that thing carried her off to God knows where. At least it took Rogers too. Maybe he could pull her out, get her to safety or at least away. His head was pounding from all the thinking he’d been doing, though the sound of the door opening and boots marching across stone wasn’t helping. It was still raining, light shining through some of the clouds creating rays. It was distracting, peaceful in a way. Samson glanced back when Ross stepped out on the porch, shutting the door behind them before turning back to the rain.

As Banner stayed with Betty last night, Ross hoped that what they were taking from her home would lead them to Banner. Roger’s team had tried to locate the man by a tracker in his suit, but it had been damaged. They had been recalled back to New York to pick up a few more agents and drop off the red headed female agent who had been recalled to do another mission.

“You did the right thing, calling us,” Ross said. Samson had been concerned about Betty being with Bruce. From her stories…knowing Ross had been pursuing him for reasons unknown. He remember the news reports of Banner being dangerous. When he found out Betty was with the man, he had contacted Ross to come to the campus and bring him in. “I need to know where they’re going. She’ll be in incredible danger as long as she’s with him.”

“From who?” Samson said. After what he had seen, he wasn’t sure if Banner was more dangerous. “He protected her. You almost killed her.”

“I give you my word, her safety is my main concern at this point,” Ross answered. After watching that, feeling the moment of helplessness and the shock and the grief…he would do anything not to feel something like that again. Samson was on his feet and in his face in an instant.

“You know it’s a point of professional pride with me that I can always tell when somebody’s lying. And you are.” Samson knew that Ross’ priority was capturing Banner. He may love his daughter, wanted her safe, but Banner was his main concern. “I don’t know where he’s going. I know she’ll help him, if she can. Colonel Rogers probably will too at this point.”

“Then they’re aiding a fugitive and I can’t help either one of them…or Banner,” Ross responded. His tone was proving Samson right. Ross walked away, out into the pouring rain. He was done with this conversation.

“I used to wonder why she never talked about you. Now I know!”

Ross paused, mentally shook his head as he went to his transport. He spoke a little on the loud side so Samson would here, though he was talking mostly to himself.

“Where does she meet these guys?”

He got in and the convoy left, heading back to base to go back to square one.

~~~~~

The Hulk refused to stop moving. He had to get away…protect the woman…protect the man. The rain was making it difficult for them to keep moving. The man and the woman were hurt and he needed to get them out of the rain. That was the little bit of human sense left in him speaking.

It was dark now. He was heading up a hill on a muddy path with trees lining both sides. Rocks were ahead. He had to climb up, find shelter. There was a small alcove, man-made, carved out of the rock. In this weather, they wouldn’t be spotted. He laid the man down first. Sometime during the trip the man had fallen asleep and grunted as he was placed down on hard rock.

The woman he laid down more gently. She was important. He knew her…needed her safe…needed to protect. He leaned in close studying her face as she stirred. When she opened her eyes, saw him there, she screamed slapping him away and further waking up a groggy Steve Rogers. The creature backed off, managing to hit its head on the ceiling, groaning as it rubbed over the spot. It stared at her, obviously confused. Turning to step out into the rain, Betty watched remembering everything that happened earlier.

“Bruce?”

The creature stepped back in to look at her. It knew her and she saw it…the little piece of Bruce she had seen earlier.

“Bruce,” she said again out loud, affirming what she now knew. This was Bruce, a different side of Bruce, but Bruce. The creature tilted its head when lightning struck and thunder sound, startling both man and monster. The creature ran and grabbed a large bolder, chucking it towards the sky. It roared in anger and challenge. The sky answered in its most powerful nature.

Betty tried to step out, but Bruce held up a hand. It…he…wanted her to stay back. He was trying to protect her from the storm. He saw it as the enemy.

“Miss Ross,” Rogers spoke from under the alcove, having sat up to watch the entire affair. “Talk to him. You seem to be the one who gets through to the human side of him. See if you can get him out of the rain.”

Betty turned back. “It’s okay. It’s okay.”

Slowly, she stepped out into the rain and reached out. Trying not to startle him, she placed her hands on his wrists and began to guide him back under the alcove.

“Come here. Come this way.”

Bruce followed her. When they reached the cave, she looked up and saw he would have to duck to get into the cave. If the earlier incident was anything to go by, it would agitate him further.

“Watch you head,” she spoke soft and clear as if she were consoling a child. Bruce looked up at the rocks and something seemed to click in him and he ducked under. Rogers had moved from where Banner had placed him to what looked like a bench. Betty sat down next to him. The Hulk…Banner…next to her.

“Okay,” she said again. “We’re okay.”

Neither Rogers nor Betty knew what to say. They were both out of their element here. What they did know was this was Bruce Banner. They now had answers to their questions. Betty now had pieces to the mystery of what happened that day and why her father chased Bruce. She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering in the rain as her mind raced on what she was going to do now. Betty knew she wanted to help Bruce…if she could.

Steve had known Banner was dangerous from the bottling plant, but now he knew this wasn’t a mindless beast intent on hurting others. There was a human beneath the surface. He needed to know the entire story before he could make a decision on what he should do…what he should offer Banner in terms of bringing him in. That’s if that was even an option anymore.

Right now he needed to get his strength back. He looked over at the graze wound on his arms. It was a bit deep and he should have stiches to help keep the wound closed while he healed, but it wasn’t an option right now. At least he would heal quickly. Sliding over to lean against the wall, he watched Miss Ross interact with the Banner monster and he thought he was beginning to see what she saw. She reached up, gently rubbing over the big guys back murmuring to him.

“It’s okay. It’s just the rain.”

The thunder and lightning went off again. This time Banner stayed still. He breathed…in and out...staying next to Betty. Even in this form, she was getting through. After the big guy was calm, they all stared out at the rain. There was a long night ahead of them.

~~~~~

Ross walked through the halls of the military hospital. Blonsky had been transferred here, but with Banner taking off with his daughter, the disobedient soldier was the last thing on his mind. Now that he had the spare time, he needed to see the damage done.

He met with the doctors and went over the man’s condition. It was grim, from the sounds of it. Another soldier lost to the cause.

“Will he ever walk again?” Ross asked wanting to know if there was any chance for recovery.

“Most of the bones in his body look like crushed gravel right now. I will say this for him. He’d got a heart like a machine. Never seen anything like it outside of a racehorse.”

The doctor pulled back the curtain, giving Ross his first look at Blonsky since the man had been fighting. He had known it was bad, but nothing could prepare him for the sight in front of him. It was a miracle the man had survived. His body was burnt and bruised. His left eye swollen to the point that even if the man was awake he wouldn’t be able to open it. Thick gauze covered his torso and his left arm. Several braces, the right arm down to the hand, head, and neck, were keeping his tattered body together and still. Oxygen, blood, and an IV drip were hooked up on top of the machines monitoring the man’s stats. Rough was a kind word to describe Blonsky’s state.

Ross couldn’t see the man recovering from this. He had to step away. In the next few weeks, he would make sure the man was taken care of, give him his due and respect as a solider for what he had accomplished. Right now, with his emotions threatening to spill over, he couldn’t look any more. It was time to cut the losses and step away.

What Ross failed to notice, was the twitching of broken fingers. Everyone thought he was done, but Blonsky was a true fighter. He wasn’t done, not by a long shot. Fingers clenched into a fist and the solder opened his eye.

~~~~~

At some point during the night, Bruce had reverted back to his original form. Betty woke, laying on the back of the man. She’d been shocked to see him and not the creature she’d seen the night before.

“When I woke around dawn, he was already like that,” Steve spoke, startling her again. “I guess that answers my question on whether Banner was the monster or if he controlled it.”

“He’s not a monster,” Betty said softly, reaching out to touch the skin. Bruce looked uncomfortable laying like that and the air was cool at this elevation. His jeans were ripped and stretched out. He was still shirtless and barefoot. Betty took off the jacket she’d been wearing and draped it over Banner’s sleeping form. “Will you help us?”

Steve was leaning against the rock wall. He’d dozed on and off all night. His head no longer ached, but his body was stiff from not moving all night. The wound burned a bit still, but he had checked on it this morning, ripping the sleeve off the other arm of his uniform and tying it around the wound to keep it from getting dirtier. He’d removed his helmet and his shield when he saw Banner was back to normal and contemplated his next step. Now with Betty’s question lingering in the air, he needed to think faster.

“Your father hasn’t exactly been honest with his information and since I’ve been dragged into this, I want to hear the whole story from him.” Steve gestured at Banner. “If you can guarantee that, Miss Ross, I’m willing to help keep you both safe for as long as I can. Let Banner sleep for a bit longer. He had a rough day yesterday. Then we can all go to the nearest town and see if we can’t find a place to stay for the night.”

A few hours later had Betty coming out of the office of a small motel. Steve sat outside with Banner who was still groggy and shaky after the events of yesterday. Turning into the Hulk had to have side effects and this had to be it. Bruce leaned on Steve as he and Betty helped him get away from prying eyes and into the relative safety of the room.

Betty still had the money she’d planned on giving him at the bus station. Steve had also looked into the possibility of a S.H.I.E.L.D. drop site, but there wasn’t one in this area, so all they had were the funds she had on her. Most of the money went to the hotel room and the rest went to getting some clothing for the three of them to wear.

Steve made sure Banner got into the bathroom and starting the shower before giving the man some privacy. After sleeping in the wild and the trek through the woods, a shower was heaven to Banner, shaking off a bit of the groggy effects from the day before.

Glancing up at the shower head, his mind flashed back to the gunfire. It had been fired at the same tempo as the water coming from the mechanism. Bruce fell back into the tub, breathing heavily and groaning at the phantom pain. It was a hellish nightmare that he knew wouldn’t escape him any time soon.

Betty’s return was welcome as Steve looked up from the desk in the corner. He was about to greet her when they both heard Banner retching from the bathroom. They glanced at each other for a moment before Steve moved over to the bathroom, knocking on the door.

“Dr. Banner, are you all right in there?”

Betty put her purse and the bags of clothing down on the bed. She softly called Bruce by name and both were startled as the man opened the door, stepping out into the room with a towel around his waist and a toothbrush in his mouth.

“Oh, hi,” he said to them. It was the first thing he’d said clearly out loud since his transformation.

“Are you okay?” Betty echoed Steve’s earlier question.

“Yeah. Yeah, actually, I feel a lot better,” he said.

“Good,” she responded, trying to smile.

“I just had to get my data back.”

He held up the flash drive to show them.

“You ate it?” Steve asked a little impressed. That was one way to make sure Ross didn’t get ahold of something they had. He was also a little surprised Banner was waving information in front of him.

“Well, you know, the circumstances called for a little improvisation.”

“Wow,” Betty said turning towards the bags. “Okay, so they didn’t have a great selection, but I got you both some options. First thing’s first.”

She picked up a box, chucking it at Bruce. One of his requests, if she could manage it, was a fitness watch so he could keep track of his heartbeat. He really didn’t expect her to find one, so it was a pleasant surprise when he held it up to look at it.

“Oh, you’re kidding me.”

Betty laughed and then picked up a pair of pants, tossing them at Bruce’s face. He caught them a strange look crossing his face. Steve fought back his laughter as Banner held up a pair of purple, elastic waist workout pants. Holding the pants up to his waist, it was clear he wasn’t sold on them.

“What?” Betty asked curiously.

“No,” Bruce said with a straight face, tossing them back to her. This time Steve did laugh and Betty giggled.

“They were the stretchiest pair they had,” she said by way of explanation.

“I’ll take my chances.”

Banner got dressed and freed up the bathroom for someone else to use. Betty insisted that Steve go next and turned on the TV. Reports of what happened on campus was all over the news. It had been too flashy to cover up and everyone was asking questions.

_“Rumors continue to swirl about a violent clash between forces of the US military and an unknown adversary on the campus of Culver University earlier today.”_

At the bottom of the screen it said that the campus was in a state of emergency. The images of wreckage along with police and fire response were on display for everyone to see as the crowd of reporters stood along the line of police tape were getting the scoop.

Back in his offices in Arlington, Ross was watching the same news report. He stepped forward scrutinizing the footage on the screen.

_“Sophomores Jack McGhee and Jim Wilson witnessed some of the battle.”_

_“It was so big,”_ Jim Wilson said on camera. _“It was like this huge, like, hulk!”_

_“Yeah,”_ Jack agreed.

_“McGhee, who happens to be a reporter for the campus paper, captured this on his cell phone.”_

The images of soldiers running and one of the many fiery blazes of the day. It was amateur footage and thankfully, he didn’t get any shots of Banner.

“Further search for the mysterious ‘hulk’ was postponed by powerful thunderstorms in the Smoky Mountain National Forest,” The reported went on to say. Ross was unimpressed by the news report. It was better to leave the public guessing at this point. He wasn’t about to use them to go after Banner, not if people put two and two together to figure out the man had been involved in both incidents at the University. No, better to let Banner think he’d gotten away and catch him off guard. The man or Rogers or his daughter would show up eventually and then Banner would be his.

~~~~~

The rest of the afternoon was spent in the hotel catching Rogers up on everything that had transpired. From what General Ross had told his daughter and Banner about the project, to the serum, to the aftermath. Betty now had the entire story as well. It didn’t change how she felt and if she was being honest with herself, she was even more upset with her father now for not being completely honest with her.

They had listened while Betty had tended to the wound on Roger’s arm. She’d managed to find a pair of jeans, a white t-shirt that was a little too tight for the man, a black jacket, and a plain baseball cap for the man to wear. After a relatively minor gawking session, she had cleaned his wound and dressed in in gauze before he finished dressing. She’d slipped into the shower afterwards and changed into her own flannel shirt and pants.

The soldier had gone out for a run promising to be back soon. He did most of his thinking running or hitting punching bags. The latter was out of the question at the moment, so running it was. Betty had insisted on cutting Bruce’s hair while they waited, trusting that Rogers wouldn’t rat them out and would return to help.

“Not too short back there, okay?” Bruce said after she cut quite a bit of hair off.

She chuckled. “I have done this before, you know.”

Placing the scissors down on the dresser, she tilted his head forward running her fingers through the strands to make sure everything was even first and then just because she could. It was relaxing to Bruce who closed his eyes under the ministrations.

“I don’t know how you’ve done this on your own for all this time,” she said softly.

“With clippers, usually,” Bruce attempted humor, trying to delay the serious conversation a few moments longer.

She laughed again, tugging at his ear. He reached back, covering his hand over hers. He squeezed her hand gently and slowly her smile faded. She bent over him, wrapping her arms around him to comfort him. She cupped his cheek and pressed her lips against his temple, then his cheek, then the corner of his eye. He reached up and rubbed her arm.

It had been too long. God how he missed her. He stood up and turned to face her. Leaning in, he kissed her. He couldn’t not kiss her. With each kiss afterwards, it became more and more passionate. Before they knew it, Betty was on her back on the bed and Bruce had followed her down, kissing her over and over again. The monitor on his watch began to beep rapidly and it jarred him. They couldn’t…had to stop…he had no intentions of turning into the big guy again.

“Wait, wait, wait. Wait!”

“What? What?”

“We can’t do this.”

“It’s okay. I want to,” she said trying to coax him back.

“No,” he replied firmly. He couldn’t lose control again. He couldn’t hurt her again. “No. I can’t.”

The beeping slowed down after a small break. She looked a little disappointed, so he felt like he had to explain…to make her understand why. “I can’t get too excited.”

“Not even a little excited?” She sounded amused. He huffed, leaning down so that his face was buried in her shoulder. He had a grip on her hand, so she squeezed lightly before murmuring, “it’s okay.”

That was how Rogers found them when he returned. Giving the couple a questioning glance, they broke apart a bit, though they remained together on the bed. The trio decided it would be best for them all to get some sleep and move out in the morning. Betty insisted that Bruce sleep in the bed with her and Rogers took the other bed. They were all exhausted, so sleep found them fairly easily, though unknown to them, trouble wasn’t too far away.

~~~~~

Since the failed assault, Ross had kept to himself in his command center. It was late, but he was still wide awake, still thinking, still strategizing for the next battle. There was a flurry of movement behind him as Sparr came into the center. She seemed a bit frantic as she pushed the door open with more force than necessary, and as soon as she walked in, she was talking.

“Sir, it’s Blonsky.”

Ross was on his feet in an instant. The man had practically been on his death bed the last time he’d seen him. The worst must have happened. He followed Sparr down until they reached the medical facility.

“Has anyone found out if he has next of kin or family?”

They went through a door and Sparr stood to the side to let the General see. “Ask him yourself.”

It was a goddamn miracle or maybe one of science. Blonsky was sitting up on the bed. The last of his braces, the one on his arm was being removed. The bruises, the burns, the swelling…all of it was gone. The man was alert and attentive looking over at the General when he entered the room wearing his own brand of shock on his face.

“Sir,” his voice was clear and held that respectful tone to it.

Ross couldn’t hide his shock as he approached the man. The doctors looked bitter, having proclaimed the man a goner from the beginning. Ross had to reach out to touch the man, as if it would make it real. Placing a hand on Blonsky’s shoulder, he managed a small smile. It was the first bit of good news he’d gotten all day.

“Good to see you back on your feet, solider.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The men glanced over at Sparr who was having a hard time accepting this as the rest of them. Ross was now a bit amused. He needed to know if Blonsky was still up for the challenge or if this had affected the man in any way.

“How do you feel?”

“Pissed off and ready for round three.”

The man said it with a serious tone. He even looked pissed. Good, that was good. This meant that Blonsky wasn’t having any second thoughts or the kind of crisis that came at near death experiences. As the old saying went, third times the charm and Ross had a good feeling. For the first time in days, things were starting to look up. Now if they could only find the bastard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a few days late. I've been horrible lately. I think I'm coming down with a cold, that and I had to work on Sunday (stupid retail crap and I didn't even deal with Black Friday), so my perception of time is a little thrown off. I had off today since I worked on Sunday and so I've been trying to catch up on some stuff, including an actual update.
> 
> On a good note, I have a new laptop that I'm paying off now. I also got a tablet that I'm trying to figure out, so I have a bit more mobility on the go, though I still only plan to update once a week. I'm trying to finish up Hulk this week and then into Iron Man 2 with more Tony and a lot of fun. Plus, I'm hoping to get up the Prologue and Chapter 1 of First Avenger up soon too. I'm tweaking the prologue and trying to figure out how to end the first Chapter. I gotta get it up soon, seeing as I plan on finishing that by the time I get to Avengers. I have plans for lots of angst for that. Keep an eye out for it. Thanks for sticking with me! Hope you enjoy!
> 
> As always, please continue to feed my needy muse with more Kudos and Comments! I like hearing from people as far a constructive criticism goes and questions if I make something unclear. Thanks!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party for side stories:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	22. On The Move

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pawns are put into motion again...and they're all heading to New York.

The next morning marked a big day for team Banner. They were hopefully, finally going to get some answers on whether or not there was a way to end the curse of the big green guy. Rogers had gone out for a morning run. Banner knew he still hadn’t made a decision and was probably trying to figure things out, but knew Rogers was a good man. He hadn’t judged them and he had kept his word about not turning them in.

Once he and Betty were alone, Bruce dumped out the contents of her purse on the bed glancing at the contents. There wasn’t much, but the cell phone was a big problem. Thankfully, it was turned off, so the General wasn’t going to be able to find them right this second.

“Basically, we can’t use any of this, because they can track all of it.”

“Well, my lip gloss? Can they track that?” She teased him.

He bent down and picked it up, holding it out to her. “No. You can take your lip gloss.”

She took it from him and applied some to her lips. “Thank you. Well, I need my glasses.”

“Well, you can take your glasses and your watch, okay?” This was getting a bit awkward.

“Okay.”

“We can use most of it. We just can’t use the credit cards, the ID, or the phone. Don’t even turn that on.”

“Okay.”

“And we’ll take the cash, obviously.”

That was going to be a bit of a problem. At least, the amount of cash was.

“How will we get where we need to go on $40 and no credit cards?”

Bruce didn’t have an answer on that one. He had no assets in his name. Rogers didn’t either. Betty reached up and played with the chain around her neck.

“Well, we could sell this.”

The chain was gold with a heart pendant with precious stones on the heart. It had belonged to Betty’s mother and Betty had gotten it when her mother had passed.

“No. No, that’s the only thing you have left from her. No.” He couldn’t ask her to give that up. It meant a lot to her.

“Well, we’ll have to try and get it back.”

Pawning it, okay, yes, they could do that. Maybe that was something Rogers could help with when this was all done and over with. The couple managed to pawn the necklace and Banner sent the files to Mr. Blue via e-mail before getting back to the hotel just in time for Rogers to return. The older man didn’t seem as agitated as he had earlier that day. In fact he looked calm, certain, and more determined than Banner had seen him in the short time he’d know the man. Rogers sat down on the bed, taking a few deep breaths before he spoke to the couple.

“I’ve thought about all of this and I have to admit that all the science stuff is way out of my league. I do know I want to help you, Dr. Banner. I don’t approve what Ross has done and what he’s still doing. There is the matter of the other guy.”

“Well, I have a contact in the city that might be able to help with that. We’ve been conversing over an encrypted line and now I have the data from the original experiment. If all goes well, we won’t have to worry about the other guy anymore.”

Steve nodded in understanding. “My mission was similar to Ross’ but not the same. I was ordered to bring you into S.H.I.E.L.D.’s custody, in the hopes that you’d be an asset. From what I’ve seen, you don’t have a lot of control or influence over the other guy, and he’s more of a liability than an asset. I’m going to withhold any plans or judgment for when we find out what your contact can do for you, but I hope you realize that if he can’t help, I may be given the order to put you down.”

Betty gasped. “You can’t. Please. It’s not his fault.”

Bruce stared at the man, locking eyes. He already knew Rogers was a good man and understood the risk he was taking here. Banner knew that nothing could bring him down, he tried, but he wasn’t going to say that. Not in front of Betty. He loved her and she’d suffered enough.

“I appreciate you giving me this chance, Colonel. If this doesn’t work out, I won’t hold anything personally against you.”

“You’re a good man, Dr. Banner. And it’s not Colonel, call me Steve or at least Rogers. I retired from the military a long time ago.”

With a small smirk Banner said, “Yes, sir.”

Steve laughed at that. He liked Banner and he meant it when he told him he was a good man. He’d just been put into a bad situation and the last thing Steve wanted to do was put him down. There was a small chance another way might present itself to them, so he’d keep the options open, but for now this was what they had to do.

~~~~~

Ross had set up a meeting room for an attempt at round three. The main problem they were having was trying to find Banner. He’d wised up though, knew how to keep from being tracked. They were hoping Rogers or Dr. Ross would slip up and give them a starting point. S.H.I.E.L.D. promised to contact them if anything popped up for the Colonel. Meanwhile the military was keeping an eye out for Dr. Ross. Sparr was currently giving their team the latest briefing on the matter.

“Federal is already monitoring phones, plastic, and Dr. Ross’ web accounts, and local PD have been place on alert. They’ll pop up somewhere and when they do, it comes straight to us.”

“They’re not gonna just pop up,” Ross popped in. “He made it two years and got across the borders without making any mistakes. He’s not gonna use a damn credit card now. He was trying to escape, he’d be long gone. He’s not trying to escape this time. He’s looking for help and that’s how we’re gonna get him. We know what they’re after and we know he’s been talking to somebody. You all have copies of the correspondence. The aliases Mr. Green and Mr. Blue have been added to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Operations Database. If he comes up for air, we’ll be waiting. If he makes a peep, we’ll hear him. And when he slips up, we’ll be ready.”

~~~~~

Barton and Sitwell were the two agents Coulson left in charge of watching out for any hits on Roger’s data or for any pops for the aliases Banner and the person he’d been talking to, to pop up. It was boring work and in Barton’s opinion Sitwell was obnoxious. More so since the man was the same level as he was and acted as if he was better than Barton. After spending a few days in the same room with the guy, he was ready to plot the man’s murder and say fuck all this before taking the next mission out into the field. He was missing Natasha too, but she’d been pulled to protect an asset and transfer him out of Odessa. She wouldn’t be back for a few days at the very least, possibly longer as Hydra wanted this particular asset put down really bad.

Once he’d finally had enough and Sitwell had left for a bathroom break. The Hawk managed to make his way into the air duct in an attempt to get away. He took with him the rest of the tortilla chips and guacamole he’d been forced to share with the other man. When Sitwell returned to a seemingly empty room, he was mildly upset, not that he’d let it show outwardly.

The man was about to go report Barton to Coulson when the monitor made a noise. Both men turned to see that Banner’s alias had popped up. An e-mail…finally a lead. The e-mail address led to a Dr. Samuel Sterns who worked at another University part time here in New York. Banner was looking for help and it appeared he found in.

Sitwell let the e-mail continue through. They needed to bait Banner with the other doctor. Sitwell then pulled up another e-mail and sent a message through to the General. Once everything was all done, he sat back in his chair. They’d managed to do it, managed to find out where Banner was heading next. It was enough that Sitwell decided not to turn Barton in and the Hawk returned to his nest to plot out a few evil things to do the other man.

~~~~~

On the other end, Sparr was trying not to fall asleep at her desk. It had been days since she’d had a chance to get any proper sleep in, but she was a soldier and they did what they had to. The sound on her monitor caused her to look up. It said ‘match found’ and the message from Sitwell held the lead they’d been waiting for. It was time to tell the Colonel, they were heading to Grayburn College.

~~~~~

With the money they’d earned from the necklace, the trio managed to purchase a beat up, rusty pickup truck. Bruce took the for sale sign off the window when Betty walked up with her camera. Holding it up, she caught his attention. “Hey, smile.”

Bruce pulled off his baseball cap, brushed his hair back to get rid of the ‘hat hair’ and managed a small smile for her. Betty took a picture of Rogers too as he put their lone bag of stuff and his shield in the bed of the truck. The shield had been wrapped up to make it unnoticeable and the clothing they’d been wearing during the ambush had been discarded so they wouldn’t be noticed.

Betty insisted on driving dangling the keys of her new truck in front of both men and Bruce, being the slighter of the men, was forced to sit between Betty and Steve. At least the cab was roomy enough that they weren’t claustrophobic. It was a long drive through war ruins and country side. They stopped a couple of times to stretch and to eat the lunch Betty had picked up before they left. For most of the ride, they tried to keep the conversation light, but eventually curiosity got the better of Betty.

“What is it like? When it happens, what do you experience?”

Bruce sighed. He might as well tell her. “Remember those experiments we volunteered for at Harvard? Those induced hallucinations?”

She nodded.

“It’s a lot like that, just a thousand times amplified. It’s like someone’s poured a liter of acid into my brain.”

“Do you remember anything?” Rogers asked, reminding them he was there. Betty wanted to know that too.

“Just fragments and images. There’s too much noise. I can never derive anything out of it.”

“But then it’s still you inside it.”

“No. No it’s not,” Bruce couldn’t believe that. He didn’t believe he and the other guy were one in the same. That would mean he was fully responsible for all the horrible things the other guy had done. He was responsible for those deaths. He couldn’t think about that. They grew quiet.

“I don’t know. In the cave, I really felt like it knew me. Maybe your mind is in there, it’s just overcharged and can’t process what’s happening.”

“I don’t want to control it. I want to get rid of it.” Banner was convinced that if it could be made, there had to be some way to undo it. Those words brought an end to the conversation. He didn’t want to talk about it anymore. The rest of the ride was spent in silence and they took turns driving and dozing through the night. Bruce knew it was still a few hours until daylight and even then, they may have to wait to catch Mr. Blue. The man had to have the key…the answers to cure him. Bruce had to keep believing in that.

~~~~~

It was almost time to go and Ross had to go looking for Blonsky. The man had been chomping at the bit ever since his miraculous recovery, often being found in the lab or talking to the doctors and scientist he met. He found Blonsky, exactly where he thought he find him. The man was shirtless, fixating on the equipment in front of him. He was ready for the next injection.

“Are you ready?” Ross asked, trying to snap the younger man out of his daze.

“Let’s even the playing field a little.”

No hesitation. Blonsky was willing to do everything and anything to prepare for this. With only a little bit of time, they needed to get this done.

“Gentlemen,” the doctor gave them all a nod before closing the curtains. No one else needed to see this. They didn’t need to know what was about to take place.

~~~~~

Bruce was having another nightmare. This time the fire, the body of the helicopter heading towards him. It was the sound of the car horn that woke him, though Betty’s voice made him more alert.

“Bruce, wake up. There’s something going on.”

Traffic was backed up along the road that led into the city. Bruce had been expected to be stopped and asked about his business there, before he was to be allowed in and Rogers had promised to get them in if there was trouble. Now there was a backup. Neon signs warned divers to be prepared to stop. Flashing police vehicles were up ahead as several officers checked each car trying to head into the city. This was bad. They were looking for him, but how did they know he’d be here.

“We’ve got to go. Walk towards the back. Just don’t move too fast,” Bruce instructed.

When Betty looked skeptical, Steve spoke up. “Just breathe and remain calm. If you look like you’re nervous, the police are trained to look at it as you’re up to no good. We have to be careful about this, or we will be running to get away from them. I know another way into the city that only higher level S.H.I.E.L.D. agents know about and we won’t be seen. Trust me on this.”

They stepped out of the truck and moved to the back. Steve grabbed the bag and his shield before they weaved through the stationary cars and walked towards the docks. They ended up paying to take a boat across the harbor and then used the emergency entrance into the city only known to a few S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. By the time the officers realized there was an empty truck on the roadway, its former occupants were already inside the city making their way to Roger’s apartment to get some decent rest.

When they did finally go out to look for the University, they looked at a subway map to find it. New York was a big city and Steve hadn’t taken any interest in locating the Universities here in the city.

“It is a long way uptown. I think the subway’s probably quickest,” she said seeing as Steve didn’t have a car and they all couldn’t fit on his bike.

“Me in a metal tube, deep underground, with hundreds of people in the most aggressive city in the world?”

“Right. Let’s get a cab.”

“Uh,” Steve hesitated. “Are you sure you guys want to do that?”

They both agreed and Steve shrugged. This was going to be interesting. He was riding along just to see the look on their faces when they realized this wasn’t such a good idea.

Bruce and Betty figured out very quickly that most cab drivers in the city were crazy. While Steve didn’t take them often. He’d taken them enough to know what to expect from a majority of them. As their cab driver took a speedy sharp turn into traffic, both non-native New Yorkers realized they’d made a terrible mistake.

“Come on, now!” The cab driver was yelling. “Let’s go! You’re too slow! You drive like a woman!”

Steve was getting whipped around just as badly as they were, he was still trying so hard not to smile at their frightened, stunned faces. The man weaved in and out of traffic, his eyes clearly not on the road.

“Very nice. You see her?” He asked them, turning back to look at them.

“Oh, my,” Betty managed to get out.

“Very pretty,” the man continued, turning back just in time to see someone sprint across the street. “Hey! Watch out, you goat!”

Betty was clinging to the seat belt trying to fasten it. Steve had fastened his from the start. Banner’s watch began beeping and Betty began to chant the word breathe over and over again trying to follow her own advice. It didn’t take long for them to ask the driver to pull over and all three passengers were out of the car.

“Are you out of your mind?” Betty screamed at the insane cab driver. “What is wrong with you?”

“What’s the matter, baby? Don’t like a good ride?”

He made a kissing noise and she growled at him in disgust. The driver sped off and with a final shout of, “Asshole!” She turned to look at her companions.

“You know, I know a few techniques could help you manage that anger very effectively.”

“You zip it,” she said to Bruce before glaring at Steve. “You, lose the smirk. We’re walking.”

“Okay,” Bruce said nodding.

“Yes, ma’am,” Steve said still smirking.

The walk helped cool Betty’s temper and calm Banner’s frazzled nerves. The walk was long, but they made it to the campus just in time to see Sterns walk out of one of the buildings. They’d discussed what they were going to do earlier. Betty would approach him, while Steve and Bruce hung back a bit, though they still kept close.

“Excuse me. Dr. Sterns?”

“Yes,” the man turned to look at her.

“I’m sorry to bother you. I’m Elizabeth Ross.”

It took a moment before recognition set it. They’d never met, but it was common for scientist in the same fields to know of each other’s work.

“Oh! Dr. Ross!”

“I have someone who’d like to meet you.”

“Okay.” He sounded a bit confused.

Bruce and Steve stepped up next to her. Steve stayed on the stairs below her, so he wouldn’t appear intimidating, but Bruce walked around Betty, looking up so Sterns could see his face.

“It’s Mr. Blue, isn’t it?”

Near instant recognition. Sterns’ eyes widened, roaming Banner’s frame as if he couldn’t believe the man was here. “Mr. Green?”

The area was too open, so Sterns led them to his office on the campus. The man was thrilled to have Banner there…to meet the man behind the computer screen. He took a seat behind his desk, though he was obviously filled with nervous energy.

“I got to tell you, I’ve been wondering if you were even real. And if you were, what would it look like? A person with that much power lurking in him. Nothing could have surprised me more than this unassuming man shaking my hand. But, look. We’re not strolling into the park for a picnic, here. Even if everything goes perfectly, if we induce an episode, if we get the dosage exactly right, is that going to be a lasting cure or just some antidote to suppress that specific flare up?”

Sterns snapped his fingers and imitated flipping an invisible coin. He shrugged before he said, “I don’t know.”

The man was a bit of an odd duck, but his motions were clear. This was a game of chance. There was no guarantee going into this that the procedure would succeed.

“What I’m say is that if we overshoot this be even the smallest integer…we’re dealing with concentrations with extraordinary levels of toxicity,” Sterns continued.

“You mean it could kill him,” Betty said, wondering for the first time if this was really worth it. It wasn’t her decision. This was Bruce’s decision.

“Kill him? Yeah,” the man stuttered a bit. “I should say so.”

“You should know that there’s a flip side to this, too,” Banner said, wanting the man to know everything he was signing up for. “If we miss on the low side, if we induce me and it fails, this will be very dangerous for you.”

The man actually laughed. He didn’t seem all that concerned.

“Look. I’ve always been more curious than cautious, and that’s served me pretty well. So, are we going to do this?”

~~~~~

Blonsky had escaped to the bathroom while Ross finished up. He could hear the whirling of helicopters as he looked into the mirror. His body felt stronger, but it also felt strange. He had no intention of admitting anything was wrong with him, as he’d never felt better. The second shot produced an unusual side effect. The popping of his bones, the shifting, and he could feel it…his spine pressing out, each knob visible beneath his skin.

It wasn’t going to stop him, though he was running a bit late. He finished putting on his gear, grabbed his gun, and made his way out to the chopper. Ross was watching him closely, the question of him being late, but the younger soldier ignored it, taking the open spot in the middle.

“How you feeling, man?” One of the other soldiers yelled over the sound of the whirling blades.

Blonsky smiled a bit. “Like a monster.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was fun to write. I had so much fun with the cab scene. I'm working on the next chapter and I'm hoping to finish it this week. If my beta can get it back to me, I'll have it up on Sunday. If not, as soon as I get it done. There will probably be two or three more chapters left in Hulk, depending on where I cut it. I'm still working on the new things, they aren't coming out like I like, so I'm rewriting a few scenes, so there's something to look forward to. I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it!
> 
> As always, please continue to feed my needy muse with more Kudos and Comments! I like hearing from people as far a constructive criticism goes and questions if I make something unclear. Thanks!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also, check out my other story Interlude Party for side stories:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829


	23. The Wonders and Pitfalls of Science

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Science can be helpful, but when ambition is taken too far, it leaves everyone involved opened to danger. Sterns may have good intentions, but when General Ross and Blonsky catch up to them...science is their downfall.

Sterns ripped the plastic covering on a table with restraints on it. He seemed almost giddy, happy that they were about to do this. It showed in every movement that he made. Machines lit up…lights turned on and the table shifted to elevate the upper body.

Steve, Betty, and Bruce stepped into that part of the lab cautiously as their fellow scientist put a container with a clear, purplish-blue liquid inside. He came around to the head of the table looking at them. The man gripped the edge of the table as if catching himself in all the flurry. The machine made a soft sound that reminded them of a siren.

“Okay. On the table.” Sterns instructed.

Bruce took off his shirt and hesitated momentarily. He was afraid, but this was what he wanted. The possibility of going back to a normal life, one with Betty and without Ross and his military goons following him…that was all that he wanted right now. With that thought in mind, he climbed on the table and let Sterns hook him up to various machines before strapping him in tightly.

“These will protect you from yourself if you have a strong reaction.” Sterns said in explanation.

“You can tell me later if you thought it was strong.” Bruce spoke with a dry tone that spoke volumes. He really wasn’t in the mood for joking right now as he was about to put them all in a lot of danger. He risked a glance over at Betty who was assisting with this whole thing. He wanted her to leave, not wanting to hurt her again, but knew she wasn’t going to leave her side.

Steve stood off to the side watching Sterns like a hawk. He’d had a permanent frown on his face since meeting the man and something didn’t feel right. It was a gut feeling, though Steve’s was usually right. He would stay off to the side and if things turned for the worst, he had already decided to pull Betty out. He’d try to save Sterns too, but he got the feeling the man wouldn’t come with them, too engrossed in the science of this all. Steve would have no choice in leaving the man behind. He liked Betty though, so she would be safe even if he ended up getting hurt.

Sterns walked over to the main computer and began to push some buttons. When it made an error noise he hit it and yelled in frustration. “Oh, come on! Stupid graduate students.”

With one more solid hit, it began to work again. Bruce, Betty, and Steve all glanced at him curiously, though he paid their skeptic looks no mind as he went about his work. Bruce gave Betty a slightly terrified look as Sterns rushed past muttering a few words as he hit more buttons on various machines. She put her hand on Bruce’s arm and rubbed over it gently. She couldn’t hold his hand since his transformation world end up causing the Hulk to crush it. Still she wanted Bruce to know that she was there, that she supported him and what was about to happen. She was trying to be strong for him, so even though she was afraid for him, she refused to let it show.

“This will be a somewhat novel sensation.” Sterns paused, hitting a button on the control panel. There was a whirling sound. “We have begun.”

Bruce felt the strange sensation as the liquid entered his body. He tensed a bit trying to focus on the ceiling of the building. Inside he was a mess, but kept breathing trying not to let his own worries and fears show.

“The dialysis machine will mix the antidote with your blood…except the antidote will only take hold once we’ve achieved a full reaction.”

It hurt a little and Bruce took a few deep breaths, closing his eyes. Steve watched as the blood filled up in little spiral tubes on one of the machines. So far, so good, but with the way Bruce was tensing, a reaction was only a matter of time.

“Just relax,” Betty murmured placing a hand over his. Bruce relaxed a bit. It still hurt a bit.

“Okay. We are comprehensive.” Sterns commented stepping back to hand Betty a mouth guard. She placed it into his mouth while Sterns attached pads to both sides of Bruce’s forehead. Steve was a little concerned when Sterns seemed a little too happy, holding up an instrument he wasn’t sure was a good idea. “All right. We set to pop?”

Betty squeezed Bruce’s hands in reassurance. They glanced at each other in reassurance. Sterns ruined the moment though as he warned her. “I’d take your hands off him.”

Betty took a step back and Sterns brought the two ends of the device causing electricity to visibly flow between them. Steve thought the man looked a bit like a modern day Frankenstein with the absolute glee on his face. The soldier wanted to stop the scientist from doing something stupid, but the words didn’t come quick enough. With a crackle of sound, the device was placed on electrodes and Bruce’s face scrunched up with the pain. His entire body went tight and taunt on the table.

Every muscle pulled against the restraints. He bucked once, his body rocking before it fell back against the table. His eyes opened revealing vibrant green. Bruce began to make a choking sound as every vein on his arms, legs and chest were visible. He was fighting, trying to hold on to his sanity.

“Oh, my God!” Sterns exclaimed in pure shock and awe.

The next thing they knew, the mouth guard went flying out of Bruce’s mouth. The muscles on his right arm bulged and began to take on green. Steve moved quickly to stand behind Betty. He wanted to be able to move her quickly if the transformation didn’t stop. Bruce cried out, grunted with the exertion. He screamed in pain and Sterns backed away a bit, hands going to the computer. Betty stopped him before he did anything stupid.

“Wait, wait!” She called for him to stop. “There’s more! Wait!”

Bruce squirmed as his body still began to transform. It wasn’t as strong as the others, but he was taking on more and more characteristics of the Hulk by the second.

“We need to stop this.” Steve said pulling Betty back as Bruce began to flail more violently.

“Now. Okay, now!” Betty seemed to agree with Steve. Stern seemed fascinated now and it was him that said, “Wait.”

Betty stepped forward and spoke a little firmer, raising her voice a bit. “Now, do it! Do it!”

Sterns seemed to be stunned and that absolutely gleeful look was back. At least until the Hulk’s flailing knocked him to the floor. Sterns fell with a grunt looking back up at the forming monster on the table. The sound of crunching metal filled the room as the stand of the table began to buckle under the increasing weight. The Hulk shot forward and growled in anger. It didn’t like being restrained. Before Stern could recover and Steve could pull Betty away, she was leaping up onto the table, sitting on its lap as she tried to sooth it’s growing wrath and frustration.

“Bruce! Bruce, look at me. Stay with me.” She said the words firmly and softly to Bruce. Stern was back on his feet as Steve ran around the table, avoiding the kicking limbs to get to the man. The movement caught Betty’s attention, and she reached out grabbing Sterns by his shirt. “The antidote, now! Sterns, do it now!”

Steve grabbed the scientist and dragged him to the control panel. At least now he was working to try and administer the antidote. Steve kept his eyes focused on Betty, but partially paid attention to Sterns as he frantically began to work.

“Bruce, look at me. Look in my eyes. Please, look in my eyes.” Betty was pleading, trying to buy them a little more time

The sound of the machine making that error sound wasn’t a good thing. Sterns mentally cursed as he spoke. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me!”

The doctor ran over to the defective machine, giving it a good kick. Steve released the breath he’d been holding as he watched the antidote begin to be pushed up into the machine and into Bruce’s body. The Hulk paused in its flailing, grunted and snorted before it groaned. Betty kept her eyes focused on its face. The flailing stopped and the two scientists and soldier felt a bit of relief as the Hulk laid back down on the table. Sterns went back to the monitor to check on the progress.

“Bruce,” Betty spoke softly trying to keep the creature still calm, but it was obvious something was working.

“Oh, my god!” He exclaimed looking from the screen to a rapidly shrinking Hulk. The antidote was bringing back the man. The green skin went away, bulging muscles shrank back down, though the veins were all still visible. Banner was covered in sweat, his eyes closed.

“Bruce? Bruce, can you hear me?” Betty asked as the paleness in his face began to fade away as he got some color in it. When he didn’t respond, her voice became a little bit more frantic. “Bruce?”

With a sharp inhale of breath, Banner’s eyes snapped open. The green was gone, but he was a bit disoriented. He looked around the room a moment, but Betty cupped both sides of his face pulling his focus on her. “It’s okay. You’re okay. You’re okay. You did it.”

“He’s fine. This is fantastic,” Sterns said.

Bruce was still trying to get his bearings. He could see Sterns and Rogers, in his peripheral, but Betty was his focus. She was breathing hard, the adrenaline leaving her system as she said. “It’s over.”

“Hi,” Bruce spoke after a small pause.

“Hi,” Betty replied smiling down at him.

Now Steve allowed himself to fully relax. Banner was okay. He was responsive, and at least for the time being, wasn’t experience any negative effects from the supposed antidote. He stepped forward and Bruce turned to look up at him. “Welcome back, Dr. Banner.”

~~~~~~

Unknown to the people in the lab, Ross had called S.H.I.E.L.D. and the local police in for some back up. They knew where Banner was going to be and seeing that this takedown was going on in the city, they needed to make sure that the citizens were going to be safe. The local police were silently evacuating the dorms and the buildings on the campus, as well as nearby off campus housing. Now they were going, room by room in the building where they had confirmed sighting of Banner and his companions.

Ross and his men were taking point on this mission, but S.H.I.E.L.D. was there too. They didn’t know what was going on with Rogers. All they knew was that he was with Banner for some reason and either couldn’t escape, or something important was keeping him there. Coulson and his team, the same team that had been with Rogers at the start of this mission with the exception of Romanoff, was on standby waiting orders.

Sitwell was a bit fidgety on the rooftop and Barton, who was in a foul mood glared at him, making the man stop.

“How do you do this all the time?” Sitwell asked pulling his coat tighter around his body for warmth.

“I see better from a distance,” Barton said. “And I do what needs to be done…without whining.”

Sitwell looked at Barton skeptically. He was always the one who was whining and causing a bit of trouble. The report they’d received about Romanoff getting injured in the field must be getting to him. They didn’t have a lot of details, just that she’d be out of commission for a few months while she healed. Apparently she’d been shot trying to escort an engineer in Odessa. The engineer was dead, Romanoff, injured…it meant something bad was waiting for them out there and it wasn’t the Hulk.

“Let’s get this done. Then maybe you can go see Romanoff,” Sitwell said. Barton didn’t respond but he did start watching the windows again through the scope of his riffle. Barton was there to back up Ross’ snipers. Sitwell was there to watch his six for anything unusual. Barton wasn’t too happy about it, but orders were orders.

Barton watched as they walked out of some sort of lab into an office. Banner was putting on a shirt and looked worn down. Dr. Sterns was looking a bit excited, while Dr. Ross and Rogers were showing concern. Banner was leaning on Dr. Ross for a bit of support, but Rogers was hovering nearby to help. Sterns got Banner a granola bar and some water. The man seemed a bit better after that.

Inside the lab, Sterns was excited. This was one of the best highs he’d ever gotten from Science…from an experiment he got to be a part of. The fact that it was successful was even better.

That was the most extraordinary thin I have seen in my entire life!” Sterns yelled, pointing to the lab.

“Okay, you know what? Stop, please.” Betty had enough. Her nerves were a bit frazzled from what just happened and Sterns was giving her a headache. “We need to go back and talk about what just happened in there.”

“Absolutely.” Sterns slapped his knee and rose to his feet. “Okay. The gamma pulse came from the amygdala. I think Dr. Ross's primer…”

“Are you okay?” Betty asked glancing over at Bruce while listening to the other scientist prattle on. He nodded and they turned their attention back fully on Sterns.

“…lets the cells absorb the energy temporarily and then it abates. That’s why you didn’t die of radiation sickness years ago! Now, maybe we’ve neutralized those cells permanently, or maybe we just suppressed that event. I’m inclined to think the latter, but it’s hard to know because none of our test subjects ever survived.”

That got everyone’s attention. Steve looked up at the doctor and Bruce sat up on the couch. Sterns was still talking and hadn’t even realized the slip up in all of his excitement.

“Of course, they weren’t getting the primer!” The man exclaimed enthusiastically as if the missing puzzle he’d been trying to solve fell into place.

“Wait, wait.” Banner spoke up trying to get the man to stop. “What did you just say?”

“The myostatin primer…”

“No, no, no. Test subjects?” The room fell quiet as Sterns stopped. “What test subjects?”

Sterns seemed to be even more excited instead of upset. He bounced on his feet as he stepped back. “Come with me.”

Barton, saw that they were leaving the room and radioed it down to Coulson who would get it to HQ. There was a bit of movement from below as Ross’s troops got into position to swarm the building. They were a little bit better informed of what they were up against, but this was still dangerous.

Sitwell came up next to him, looking through goggles below. The cop cars were turning off their sirens right when they pulled up.

“If they keep arriving like that, Banner will know we’re here before we can storm the building.”

Barton smirked. “I agree with that one, but what’s with the ‘we.’ You and I are staying up here. Ross and his men are storming the building. I’m kinda glad about that one though. After what I saw on Culver’s Campus, I don’t think I want to go up against something like that head on. And that’s the reason I asked for someone to watch my back, so they can die first if things go south.”

“You act as though I plan on sticking around that long. Who says I’d warn you?”

“If you want to get in Coulson’s good graces, I’d warn me.”

Barton watched Ross’s vehicle pulled up. He exited the vehicle and went into the command center. Now the real fun was going to start.

Down below, Ross marched to the monitors while Sparr asked what the activity level of the troops.

“Snipers are covering Alpha sector.”

Through the speakers, they could hear what Sterns was saying. They’d taken the liberty of bugging his office and labs while he’d been away. The scientist didn’t even know he was bugged. It was all being recorded to listen to at a later time.

“We started on rats and mice, but it just completely fried them, so we had to go bigger. And we still don’t know which is more toxic, the gamma or your blood.” Stens lectured as he took them through a set of doors to a storage area lined with refrigerators. Various samples of blood hung in bags along metal poles inside. Steve was taking a mental note of everything. Sterns was going to be taken in by S.H.I.E.L.D. one way or the other now that he knew that something was going on here.

“What do you mean, my blood?” Bruce asked still tired and in shock from the events of the day.

Sterns gestured to all of the blood. “Bruce, this is all you. You didn’t send me much to work with, so I had to concentrate it and make more. With a little more trial and error, there’s no end to what we can do! This is potentially Olympian!”

Written on the glass with marker was the words, Mr. Green, a batch number, and a strength percentage. Row upon row of blood lined up. Bruce and Betty all looked at it stunned and a little shocked. Steve thought if he was able to, he would get sick. People did so many stupid things for science, he knew that, but this…this was taking it too far and all of this blood was dangerous. And Sterns was still talking.

“This gamma technology has limitless applications. We’ll unlock hundreds of cures. We will make humans impervious to disease!”

Steve pulled Bruce aside. “We can’t let this stand. This is dangerous and he’s not going to listen to me.”

“I agree.” Bruce said. “Wait until he’s done and I’ll ask him to destroy it.”

“And you think he’ll listen.”

“No, but we can make him.”

~~~~~~

Outside, Blonsky and his men pulled up in their hummers. A few of the students that had been missed scattered as the men stormed the building. Blonsky directed them silently, finding himself a bit winded. That wasn’t supposed to happen, but maybe it was his body still adjusting to the new injection.

He pushed all of that aside. It was time for him to find Banner. The monster in him wanted another go at the green menace

~~~~~~

Steve, Bruce, and Betty were still listening to Sterns prattle on about applications of the blood. The man may have been right, but he’d taken his ideals to obsession and had gone too far. Steve was about to strangle the man when Banner spoke up.

“No, no, we’ve got to destroy it.”

“Wait, what?” Sterns seemed confused.

“All of it. Tonight. We’re gonna incinerate it. Is this the whole supply?”

“What…” Sterns still wasn’t getting it. “We could get the Nobel for this!”

“You don’t understand the power of this thing. It is too dangerous. It cannot be controlled.”

Outside one of the snipers received his orders to shoot as his discretion. He lined up the shot, the voices still coming through the radio, even though he’s missed a bit as his orders came in.

“…three of us! This is Promethean fire!”

“It’s just…”

Banner stepped out of his view. He relayed ‘no shot’ through his radio. Blonsky heard it and began to run up the stairs. No way was he letting Ross tranq the bastard until he had another go. Sparr relayed to Ross that Blonsky was going in.

“Blonsky, stand down. My daughter’s in there! Rogers is there too!”

Blonsky ignored him, jumping from stairs to the railings on the floors to a balcony. Nothing was stopping him now. Ross and Sparr went out to their vehicle, moving closer to where Blonsky and his men entered the building. They could still hear Sterns’ and Banner’s argument as they scrambled to figure out how to stop the man.

“We have the antidote now.”

“They don’t want the antidote! They want to make it a weapon! And if we let it go, we will never get it back. You don’t know how powerful this thing is.”

“I hate the government just as much as anyone, but you’re being a little paranoid don’t you think?”

Bruce slammed his hands down on the table stepping into the sniper’s sights. As soon as the sniper saw he had a shot, he took it, hitting Banner in the back with the tranq.

Bruce fell forward catching himself on the table as he gasped. The sound of breaking glass hit their ears and Sterns shrieked. Betty and Rogers both moved to Bruce. Betty yanked out the dart as Rogers caught Bruce before he could drop to the floor.

“Bruce! Bruce!”

He opened his eyes, but Betty wasn’t what he saw. Blonsky came strolling around the corner wearing a twisted winning smile.

“Get out.” Bruce said.

Betty turned to see Blonsky. The man shoved her out of the way. Her head hit the corner of a fridge and she fell to the floor unconscious. Steve let go of Bruce and moved, but Blonsky sent the man sailing into the collection of empty beakers and other glass instruments. If it weren’t for his shield his back would have been cut, as it is, some of the glass rained down on him, cutting his cheek, scalp, and hands. His shield and clothes saved him this time as he fought down the pain to get to his feet.

Blonsky had reached Bruce by this time and began to speak low, gradually getting louder in his frustration. The man stared him in the eyes and Bruce couldn’t do anything to transform…or protect himself.

“Where is it? Come on, where is it?” Blonsky smacked him a couple of times and his watch began to beep rapidly. Nothing was happening…it should have been happening, right?

“Show him to me,” Blonsky said holding one of Banner’s eyes open. Then the tranq began to do what it was supposed to. Banner’s heart beat slowed and he was gibing into sleep. The last few things that he remembered was Blonsky letting him go, the sensation of being dizzy, and the rush of men shouting the soldier’s name and the vicious slap that put him out for good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay an update! I've been writing a lot this week on various projects, and I've figured out that I actually have 3-4 more chapters left of The Hulk. Two more chapters in the actual story and one or two wrap up chapters. This movie has been a challenge, but the end is in sight. Thank you guys for sticking with me through that.
> 
> As an update on my other stories, my friend is still working on my old hard drive and that has the next chapter I was working on for Interlude Party, so hopefully I can get that back and finish it so that can be updated. I've also finished the first chapter of my Captain America: The First Avenger story. It's called Before We Go, so go check it out and let me know what you think!
> 
> As an FYI, my beta doesn't have internet at home right now so this chapter and the first chapter of Before We Go aren't betaed right now. I will get a beta version on those when she comes back. I hope you enjoy them as they are.
> 
> Please leave me comments and Kudos. They feed my muse and I enjoy hearing from you! Also, please feel free to let me know if I've made a mistake or something is unclear. I'm trying to improve my writing and I'm always looking for positive and constructive criticism. Thanks!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!  
> Interlude Party: http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829  
> Before We Go: http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	24. The Abomination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ross finally gets his man. Blonsky and Sterns come to an understanding...and an abomination is born.

When Banner woke up, he was on some sort of gurney with restraints. They had been kind enough to support his head with a pillow and put an ice pack on his forehead, but he was in a full body harness and both his arms and his legs were in tight unbreakable restraints. Without the other guy, he was a little stuck. Right now his head was pounding, so he’d have to figure out a way out of this later.

The soldiers were pushing the gurney through the halls, stopping to pick it up and carry him down the stairs. The last set were the ones outside of the building. Betty and Rogers were following him out, both having received first aid. Betty had lucked out with a bit of a bump on her head, where Rogers had to have glass cleaned out of several cuts before they were bandaged. The wrap around his head looked ridiculous, but with how angry the man was, it didn’t hurt his image. Banner had found out that Rogers had given Blonsky a personal ass chewing and the man had been pulled to help interrogate Sterns about the experiments he had been conducting.

One of the soldiers stepped up and wrapped a jacket on Betty’s soldiers. Many of these men had worked with Ross before, knew Betty was his daughter. They liked her and afforded her every comfort they could give her. Banner was only half paying attention as he was brought before the General before he was to be loaded into the nearest vehicle. He refused to look the man in the eye. Wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing just how messed up he truly was inside. Still the General had a few words for him.

“If you took it from me, I’m gonna put you in a hole for the rest of your life.”

Of course Ross was still only interested in the monster. For a moment, Banner really hoped this was a permanent cure. While his head was pounding, he wanted nothing more that to be put into a hole than to let Ross or Blonsky or whoever have the key to a weapon they clearly couldn’t control. Enough damage had been done already and although he wasn’t fully on board with the idea, Bruce knew someone was going to have to martyr themselves for the cause. If it had to be him so be it.

As they loaded him into the vehicle, he saw Ross head towards Rogers and the rest of the man’s team. Through the talk on the radio, Banner knew Director Fury was demanding that the military turn Rogers over to S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. Technically the military and S.H.I.E.L.D. fell under different jurisdictions. Ross wasted to bring charges against Rogers for aiding a fugitive, but somehow Fury had enough leverage against Ross to keep the General at bay.

Steve saw Ross approaching. Coulson was trying to get him to return to HQ for debrief, but he wasn’t done yet. He had some words for Ross. This wasn’t done and although he didn’t have any right to say anything, he felt that he needed to say something to the General. Make it known to the man that he didn’t agree with what was going on. Steve also wanted some information about what was going to happen to Banner and Blonsky.

“Are you satisfied ruining the lives of good people?”

“Banner volunteered for this. As far as I’m concerned, he used military resources. That makes him military property. He should have waited until we approved testing, but what’s done is done.”

“This isn’t done, Ross. I don’t think you realized what you’ve started. It’s only going to get worse from here. Banner…your daughter…they don’t deserve this.”

“It’s no longer your concern, Colonel. Now that I have what I came for, I no longer need S.H.I.E.L.D. interfering with my work. Get your men and get out of here before I change my mind about charging you.”

Ross began to walk away, pausing as Rogers spoke one final thing. “I don’t know how you live with yourself Ross, but I hope you figure out what you’re doing before it backfires…again.”

Ross turned around, but Rogers was already giving orders to head to the jet that was parked in an open field on the campus. He muttered good riddance under his breath and watched as they finished locking Banner into the plane. It was satisfying to see the man like this. After all the trouble…the resources…everything Banner had put him through. He’d make sure that the man wouldn’t see the light of day again.

Several soldiers led Betty over to where he was. She looked so fragile wrapped in a jacket that was too big for her. Her eyes too big, skin pale, and her body shivering from the cool air…it brought out the father in him. Still, even if she asked it of him, he wasn’t about to let Banner go. That was something they were going to have to live with for the rest of their lives. Upon seeing Bruce being locked in, she began to move quickly her eyes focused on him. Ross caught her arm.

“Betty.” He called her name softly looking her in the eye. The fragile looking woman fell away to a determined woman with fire in her eyes.

“I will never forgive what you’ve done to him.”

“He’s a fugitive.”

Betty stepped towards him. Her tone dripped with the anger she felt towards him. “You made him a fugitive to cover your failures and to protect your career. Don’t ever speak to me as your daughter again.”

“It’s only because you’re my daughter that you’re not in handcuffs, too.”

Betty didn’t say another word. Instead she boarded the plane and sat down as close to Bruce as possible. She wished she had the power to free him. Maybe she could go to Rogers when this was all done, see what he could do to help. She knew that they’d caused him a lot of trouble already, but she knew she had to try.

Betty had meant what she said. General Ross was no longer her father. She could no longer stand by and accept what he had done. The truth was out there now and she couldn’t forgive him…would never forgive him for all of this. He had the power to make it right, but wanted to protect his career. She refused to look at him as he boarded the plane and continued to give commands to the soldiers and the pilot. She wouldn’t let this stand.

~~~~~

Inside the school, Sparr was interrogating Sterns. She had been tasked with trying to comprehend what the man had been talking about on the radio. Ross had expressed interest in possibly making the man an asset, especially if he had a way to harness the raw power that Banner had displayed. They would need him if only to find an antidote to the antidote he used on Banner to stop the transformation. First thing she was going to do was figure out if they had a way to replicate what was done to Banner through Sterns’ experiments.

“Are you telling me you can make more like him?” She stepped around the desk and came to stand in front of the man.

“No! Not yet. I sorted out a few pieces, but it’s not like I can put together the same Humpty Dumpty, if that’s what you’re asking.” Sterns was gesturing wildly and so far Sparr was far from impressed. “He was a freak accident! The goal is to do it better!”

“So Banner’s the only…” Sparr didn’t finish before she took a hit to the back. Blonsky had heard enough. He had his own agenda here, Ross be damned. Banner…he needed another fight with the monster. He needed to figure out why he was so damn tired, why his bones were popping through his skin, why he was sweating as if he had just run a marathon. Banner was first. He needed to defeat Banner.

“She’s an annoying bitch.” Blonsky glanced down at the pathetic little scientist with interest in his eyes.

“Why are you always hitting people?”

That earned the man a gun in his face. Blonsky cocked it and the man finally had a look of fear on his face. This was his game, he made the rules and it was time everyone followed them.

“Now what possibly could I have done to deserve such aggression?”

“It’s not what you’ve done. It’s what you’re gonna do. I want what you got out of Banner. I want that.” Blonsky waved the gun in the man’s face for show. He had no problem killing Sterns, but he was going to get what he wanted first.

Sterns took a good look at the man. Realization washed over him. Maybe, just maybe, if this man had the primer as well...he just needed confirmation. “You look like you’ve got a little something in you already, don’t you?”

“I want more.” Blonsky’s voice sounded weak, a little needy, but his stare determined and strong. “You’ve seen what he becomes, right?”

Sterns nodded. “I have. And it’s beautiful. Godlike.”

“Well, I want that. I need that. Make me that.”

“I don’t know what you’ve got inside you already. The mix could be an abomination.” Sterns wanted to at least make sure the man knew what he was getting into. Blonsky was growing impatient though. He put the gun to his side and yoked the scientist by the shirt. He held the man easily high above his head, choking him with his shirt collar. “I didn’t say I was unwilling. I just need informed consent…”

Blonsky pulled him down until their noses were almost touching, but Sterns’ feet were still in the air. Sterns didn’t have a death wish, so he added, “…and you’ve given it.”

~~~~~

After a little bit of time, the military helicopter took to the air and began to fly over the city. They were heading to the closest base to get a full escort back to Virginia. To appease Betty, Banner had been removed from the full body restraints and was allowed to sit in a seat like a normal person. His wrists and ankles were still bound, but the man seemed to be in better spirits than he was before. Betty tried to smile and put her foot on top of his, pressing down gently. Banner looked up at her and managed a small smile of his own.

He wanted to show her he was alright. After what he had gone through, he wasn’t afraid. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, but couldn’t surrounded by soldiers. Hopefully, the smile was enough. Betty looked sad though and she reached out to take Bruce’s hands, daring her father or one of the others to say something to her about it. Bruce kissed the back of her hands. Their situation wasn’t ideal…it was far from perfect, but somehow, someway, things would turn out how they were meant to turn out. Bruce truly believe that.

Ross cursed as they looked out the window, going up to relay a message over the radio. Betty turned to look to see a small plane with a S.H.I.E.L.D. logo on it, pull up next to them. The pilot, an Asian female that Betty didn’t recognized, was grinning as a man stepped up into view. Steve Rogers had a chance to get changed and cleaned up a bit. He also seemed a little bit smug as he reached for the radio receiver.

“Rogers, I told you to stand down and go back to S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters.”

“You’re not the only one with connections Ross. I managed to get orders from the Director and a few of the Generals from the base. They want me to help you escort Banner to Arlington. You’re stuck with me for a little while longer. Lower your ramp and prepared to be boarded.”

“Not without receiving confirmation.” Just as Ross spoke, his orders came in. Damn Rogers and his interference. Well at least he could make sure that Rogers’ stay would be very unpleasant. He didn’t know how the man could move so efficiently, but before Ross knew it, the man was on his helicopter and the rope that had been used to lower him down was being pulled back up.

The female pilot gave him a thumbs up and then pulled out. Rogers seemed pleased with himself, though he wasn’t the kind of man to rub it in. The man nodded to Ross, but didn’t say a word as he sat down next to Banner, leaning in to speak softly into his ear.

“I’m staying until I see this through. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’ll be damned if Ross gets away with this.”

Steve caught Betty’s eyes and she felt a bit of relief. Maybe they had some hope after all.

~~~~~

In the lab, Sterns was putting a vial of Banner’s blood into the dialysis machine. He truly was a man of science. Whatever way this went, he was about to become a part of history. The particular batch he was using had a calculated strength of 14.56%...the strongest he had. He had very little to use and a lot to gain in this, so he was just going to go with it and watch the magic happen.

He had to add the gamma radiation to the experiment, but no biggy. He was a scientist after all. He could rig just about anything…including the devices to monitor and record this to replicate it later should it succeed. The excitement was nearly tangible, filling the air with anticipation and nerves so electrifying the man had to keep from visibly shuttering as he moved. As the lights and screens flickered a bit from pulling too much power, he fumbled to get the fuzz to go away.

Behind him, Blonsky began to growl unhuman like. His tone dropped down and Sterns tried to cut off the machines as they sparked. Something was happening.

“This is what I was trying to explain. I don’t know what you’ve been ladling into yourself. But clearly it worked.”

Blonsky’s boots hit the ground before they split. His uniform pants ripped as bones protruded outward from the back side of his ankles. Sterns didn’t know how to shut up even as he flattened himself against the machines trying to stay out of the creature’s way.

“Let’s assume you don’t understand a word I’m saying, but if you’ll just get back on the table, I can fix this.”

His voice wavered as the man grew, towering above him. His back bones pushed out, creating spikes along his spine. He growled low again, knocking Sterns to the floor, breaking the vial with Banner’s blood inside of it. Dark laughter, not unlike a cliche villain from a horror movie laughter. Sterns lay on the floor stunned and afraid. Blonsky made his way out of the lab and Sterns could hear the men shouting to shoot or stop the man. Unable to move, he began to feel the blood drip from the pan above onto a cut on his head. He began to smile as he felt the effects take hold of him. It was time for him to leave before the true chaos began.

~~~~~

Blonsky pulled the table off its stand and chucked it out the window. One of the men had tried to stop him went out next slamming into the building across the way and falling. The men on the ground scrambled, shouting orders. All they knew was that Blonsky and Sparr were still inside the building, but they didn’t know what was coming for them or what was happening.

Two men watched as a human like creature fell from the window, moving like a comet as it fell to the ground and began stomping into the streets. They made a move to follow. As they approached the corner, they heard an animalistic growl and a car went flying past them. The car exploded in a fiery mass that headed towards the sky illuminating the creature for an instant as it went around another corner. There was more screaming and yelling, now from people on the streets. Even without orders, the soldiers and a few of the police made the decision to move. Scrambling to a nearby convoy, they began to pursue the thing they’d seen.

“Delta 4 to leader. Something big just went off down here!”

On the helicopter, one of the pilots held out a phone to Ross.

“General, you should hear this!”

Ross took the phone and heard the man repeating a message. “The Hulk is in the street! I repeat, the Hulk is in the street!”

Ross snapped around to look at Banner. It was impossible. The Hulk was here with him. “That’s impossible. You get a hold of yourself, young man. You get it together. What is your position?”

“121st Street, heading north on Broadway!”

Ross put the phone down. “Turn us around.”

They were all confused as the helicopter turned. Steve glanced up at Ross. From the man’s expression, something was wrong.

“We’re going back.” Banner commented, looking at Ross as well. “Why are we going back?”

Ross ignored them as he barked more orders. “Damn it! Give me eyes down there!”

One of the men complied. He turned on a camera on the side of his helmet. On the screen, they saw an explosion and one of the other soldiers yelled. “What the hell was that?” It was frantic chaos as pedestrians and cars moved out of the way of the speeding jeep as it headed towards the area where the explosions were happening. They skidded to a stop as a major road block kept them from moving forward. People were scrambling to get away as a large creature in the distance dropped a car on another vehicle sending up more smoke and flames.

It roared, sending cars flying. People were scrambling to get away and those coming out of the buildings wished their curiosity hadn’t made them come out. The people on board the helicopter were in shock, but it was Banner that leaped to his feet with a loud ‘no’ and fought to get closer to the screen. Everyone else followed as they got a good look at the creature.

Skin was a sickly color, veins bulged in the muscles along with the bones. The rib cage and the spine, both exposed. This was once a man who had given into his instincts. Ross’ mouth fell open as Banner and Steve glared at him. Even Betty was in shock, not understanding everything going on, but enough. What had he done?

“One of yours?” Banner asked, needing to know the truth.

“Oh, my God. What have you done?” Betty asked. After what he had put Bruce through, her father had done it again. She shouldn’t have been surprised, but she was.

“Start talking, General,” Steve ordered. Ross just looked at his men, his daughter, Rogers, Banner…he didn’t know what to say.

On the screen the police were firing and the creature was wiping them away with a swipe of its large arms as if they were nothing. The soldiers were seriously rethinking their strategy. They opened a case in the back and pulled out the big gun. This had to put the thing down. Launching the missile, they were shocked when the creature caught it, slamming it into the bones of its chest. Flames leaped off the skin, but it was undamaged.

It laughed, cruel and savage, setting sights on the soldier. The man felt terror grip him as the creature began to stalk him and then charge. The order to get out of there came and the jeep sped in reverse. The creature was running full force, knocking cars and debris out of his path, relentlessly in pursuit of its prey. It began to leap over cars and once it had a clear shot, sprinted towards the fleeing soldier.

The jeep slammed into park cars and couldn’t move. The creature stopped, catching a Taxi that hadn’t seen the monster until it was right in front of him. Blonsky stepped on the hood and picked it up holding it over the head of the helpless me.

“Give me a real fight!” It growled slamming the taxi into the men and the screen went to fuzz on the helicopter. The men were dead and the helicopter was silent. One of the pilots kept calling for Ross to say something with a repeat of, “sir?”

“Tell them to bring everything they’ve got and head for Harlem.”

Banner scoffed before taking a deep breath. He looked at Ross. “It has to be me. You have to take me back there.”

Betty gripped Bruce’s shirt. “What are you saying? You think you can control it?”

“No, no, not control it, but, I don’t know, maybe aim it.”

“And what if you can’t?” Ross yelled, not really liking his options, but not seeing a better one.

“We made this thing. All of us. Please.”

Ross knew Banner was right. He knew the creature on the ground was Blonsky. They had all helped to create the monster. It was their mess to clean up. Turning away from the man that he was beginning to have at least a little bit of respect for he gave his order.

“Land us near it.”

“No, no. No, keep us high. Open the back door,” Ross nodded and the door was lowered.

Steve stopped Banner and squeezed his shoulder. He knew what the man was doing. If there was any other way…they all knew there wasn’t. “You’re a good man, Dr. Banner. Good luck.”

Bruce nodded and made his way past the super soldier to the ramp. Betty hurried after Bruce. She grabbed onto webbing with one hand and Bruce’s arm with the other. She wasn’t going to let him do this.

“Bruce! Bruce, stop! Stop! What are you doing?” Think about this! You don’t even know if you’ll change!” Bruce looked at her, tried to pull away, but she held on firm to him. Tears filled up in her eyes. She was so scared for him. He could die. “You don’t have to do this! Please, this is insane!”

“Betty, I’ve got to try. I’m sorry.”

He leaned in and gave her a kiss. It was brief, one for luck if this went well…goodbye either way. He couldn’t hesitate any longer, more people would die. Leaning back he slipped through her grip.

He fell…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been so lazy with my writing this week, though I've started the next chapter of this and the next chapter of Before We Go is almost done. I also have another new chapter of Interlude Party that will be going up next week, thought it's a Christmas present for my awesome Beta, so she gets to gush over it first. She just got internet back and is catching up on her own stuff, so once again, this isn't Betaed. I will get a beta version up soon. Thanks again for sticking with me and I hope you all have a great holiday! Enjoy!
> 
> Please leave me comments and Kudos. They feed my muse and I enjoy hearing from you! Also, please feel free to let me know if I've made a mistake or something is unclear. I'm trying to improve my writing and I'm always looking for positive and constructive criticism. Thanks!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!  
> Interlude Party: http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829  
> Before We Go: http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	25. Clash of Titans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Hulk takes on the Abomination destroying everything in their wake.

Bruce thought that the sensation of a free fall could be considered exhilarating, but when he opened his eyes looking up at the helicopter he had just fallen from…the faces of Betty and Rogers looking down at him without the usual haze that overcame him when the other guy took over, he began to panic.

“Oh, shit!” He barely got out moments before slamming through the asphalt on the street.

Betty gasped at the sight of the crater on the street. Steve stood behind her equally in shock. There had been no sign of the green guy and with an impact like that, the likelihood of Banner survival stood at nothing. Ross was yelling for someone to get his daughter inside, especially after she swung gripping the netting inside the helicopter. Steve waved the other soldiers off and wrapped his arms around her waist and held onto the netting as well. It steadied her so that she could see what was going on.

They both looked down at the flashing lights of all the emergency vehicles arriving on the scene. There was a brief pause, a shifting of the rubble on the street. A larger green fist punched upward and they all breathed a sigh of relief.

“There.” Ross said looking out of the window. “Betty, get inside.”

Steve finally pulled her into the safety of the helicopter and through the window. She could see just as clearly there as she could outside and when the door shut, there wasn’t any wind. They all watched to see what was going to happen.

The Hulk pulled himself out of the crater looking around at the chaos around him. For some reason, he didn’t feel quite out of control. He could focus on the people running away. The street was littered with cars on fire and the debris and remnants of various buildings and objects. In the distance, he could see Blonsky with a person in his grip.

The Hulk took a few heavy breaths before roaring in a rage. Blonsky heard him, turning towards the sound. He threw away the human in his grasp, his full attention on the creature in front of him.

“Hulk,” he growled stomping towards the other creature. The Hulk ripped off the remnants of his shirt and rolled both his shoulders as he approached Blonsky. The soldier in the body of the monster grinned. This was going to be his greatest fight ever.

“Yeah!” the abomination growled as he began to run. The people scattered like the seas parting as Hulk began to run as well. No one wanted to get between the two monstrous titans when they got started. The screams of terror could still be heard, but both men and monster were focused on the other.

Gaining the momentum they needed, both men launched into the air. The Hulk moved to swing one of his large fists at the other creature, only to be tackled to the ground. Spinning mid-tackle, it rolled, before chucking the Hulk through a flaming bus. Hulk continued to slide across the asphalt. The people were still screaming, still scattering. They were ignored as the Hulk struggled to get to his feet. He stumbled back dropping a hand to the street to brace himself before he could stood.

Blonsky stepped through the burning bus, stepping on one of the outer walls. It sank beneath his weight as he laughed at the green man. He’d done it. He’d finally surpassed the other man. Laughing low he taunted the other man.

“Come on.” He yelled as he made a come hither gesture with both hands.

Hulk snarled as the delayed sound of a police radio caught his attention. Smashing the car in half, effectively killed the siren and the radio. Now he had a weapon. The Abomination began to charge the Hulk again. The green man growled in rage, slamming both halves of the car together answering the challenge. Using the car halves as boxing gloves, slamming them into the other creature. The car pieces broke apart as they slammed into the Abomination’s body. Once they were down to scraps, the Hulk threw them away, gripping the creature by the neck and punching with all it’s strength.

Blonsky shook it off like it was nothing. Spitting out a tooth that had knocked loose. He looked up at Banner, eyes glowing the same radioactive green as the Hulk as they glared up at the other creature. “Is that all you’ve got?”

In answer, the Hulk went to punch him again, only to be kicked by the Abomination. His body sailed over a high fence crashing into a brick building. Blonsky wasn’t about to let his prey escape. He charged, his body ripping through the metal fencing as if it was paper. He lept into the air, climbing up the brick to where Hulk’s body created a hole. He snarled as a woman screamed scrambling away like all the other insects he had swatted.

Ross was watching carefully, trying to hide his shock and horror. He had to take command to do something. He walked up to the soldier aiming the machine gun. They could at least be a distraction to give Banner a chance.

“Use that thing, soldier! Give him some help!”

“Which one?” The soldier replied, unsure that they should even be doing this.

“Help the green one, damn it! Which one do you think? Cut the other one in half!”

Aiming the gun, the soldier sent a barrage of bullets across the building until he hit the back of his target. The creature turned to look up directly at the helicopter. “Ross!”

The creature plunged his fists into the brick, crawling up the building. The helicopter rose with the creature as it leapt onto the roof of the building. The bullets kept on coming. Blonsky dodged the best he could, trying to come up with a new plan. He jumped to another roof, not realizing his prey was below him dislodging itself from a large garbage can. Hulk looked up at the sound and began to scale the building itself, damaging the fire escape, windows and brick as he climbed.

“Keep it on him!” Ross yelled encouraging the man standing beside him to keep going. Blonsky dodged, hiding behind a part of the building. Steve and Betty watched from their window as the Hulk made it to the top, launching himself over the roof. Betty felt a sense of relief when she saw Bruce was all right. Steve steadied her as they rocked inside the helicopter.

The Abomination came out of his hiding spot and began to charge the helicopter, even as he was still being shot at. Hulk charged, unwilling to let him get to the helicopter. Hulk managed to reach him mostly in time. He slid down to cling onto the Abomination’s foot, while the other creature got one hand on a part of the helicopter. The added weight caused the chopper to drop a bit.

Hulk tried to climb up the Abomination’s body, breaking the bones along his back. They both tried to get a better grip, one of the body of the creature he was hanging from, the other to the metal machine keeping them airborne. He tried to knock the Hulk down by elbowing him in the face, but the creature held on. They were still losing altitude though and both bodies slammed into a water tower on the roof of one of the buildings. Inside the helicopter the alarms were going off frantically.

“Look, I got to put it down!” The pilot was shouting back at them.

“Hang on!” Ross yelled as they all braced themselves for the impact. Without really thinking about it, Steve pulled Betty into his lap as he sat down. They both clung to the netting behind them. Betty looked frightened as they spun in the air.

The tail of the helicopter caught on a lighted sign on the roof of a building. The occupant’s lurched forward. Steve did his bed to protect Betty as they were flung to the other side. Ross hit the floor of the aircraft a moment before Steve with Betty on top of him. The occupants all shouted or grunted from the impact. Betty dug her nails into the fabric of Steve’s shirt. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, reached up to grab his shield before it landed on her back and rolled to shield her body as they went down.

On the outside, the scramble to hang on while crashing into buildings and other objects was going on. On the inside, the soldiers were fighting for control. The lights were flickering, the people were bouncing and sliding. The pilot was cursing. Betty cried out as she slipped out of Steve’s grasp and slid to the front of the helicopter. They all felt the aircraft hit a roof. The blades broke slamming into the rooftop as the helicopter slid on its side towards the far edge. It came to a stop rocking before the motor cut out.

Hulk and Abomination had been crushed a little by the helicopter when they hit the roof. Hylk was scrambling, trying hard to get up. Even he had to admit, this body had taken a beating being run over by all that metal and the force. Slowly, he pushed himself up looking around at the roof that looked like it had been in partial ruins prior to their crash.

Inside the helicopter, Betty raised her head off of the ground. She could feel the bodies of the soldiers piled on top of her from the landing. In her ear, she heard the panting of someone in her ear. Turning, she could see Rogers with several cuts on his face. He looked tired, older in some ways. Still, he tried to smile at her.

“Next time we’re going to ride the Cyclone instead of this. It’s a lot safer.”

She tried to smile back at his attempt to make a joke, but with the soldiers on top of both of them, the destruction and death around them, it wasn’t the time for levity. There was a shifting of an arm in front of them. General Ross was groaning as he tried to move. Betty whispered for his father trying to crawl to him. Steve lifted the bodies off of them and they both dragged their way to Ross’ body. Ross groaned again, opening his eyes.

“Are you hurt?” Betty asked. “Let me help you.”

Betty and Steve slowly helped the General into a sitting position. They didn’t know what to do, what was going on outside. They had to move…to find out what was going on or they could be just as dead as the others.

“I’m all right.” Ross finally spoke up. “Just find a way out.”

Outside, the Hulk made it to his feet. Slowly, a bit unstably he walked over to helicopter to rip it open. Even in his haze he knew Betty was inside. Betty was important. He had to get her out. As he approached a figure appeared, leaping up on top of the helicopter. The Abomination growled, but by jumping up, he rocked the helicopter, sending the conscious occupants to their knees. They could hear the growling from inside their metal cage. They needed to see what was happening. The thumping of footsteps, the crunching of the buckling metal under heavy weight, the echoing of that sinister growl…it couldn’t be ignored as the titans were about to begin round two.

Blonsky laughed as he wiped his cheek. His distorted bones crackled as they mended and shifted. He growled low down at the man beneath him. Hulk just gave him an exasperated look as if to say ‘you really want to keep this up cause I’m getting really tired of this.” He didn’t feel angry, more resigned and maybe even a bit sad. Still he growled and approached the man who had become his enemy.

Blonsky jumped off of the roof of the helicopter slamming into the Hulk. They rolled before Blonsky had him pinned against a door, arm crushing his throat. Behind them Betty pulled the tarp away from the opening to peer out, Steve behind her, holding the General upright. Right away she could see a major problem. The fuel was leaking out while the blade motor was sparking overhead. If one of those sparks caught the fuel, the helicopter was sure to go up in a fiery end with them on board.

She turned to look at the one person who could save them. Bruce was looking out at her, not the Hulk. There was desperation in his eyes, as he tried to fight against the grip crushing his wind pipe. He was tired, so tired from the days events. Blonsky snarled, lifting him up. Hulk got in a kick to the ribs causing that grip to falter a little bit. He began to punch his foe, but in a fit of rage, that arm was back, crushing harder than before.

“You don’t deserve this power!” Blonsky insisted it, getting in the other creature’s face. Hulk grit his teeth as the true monster continued. “Now watch her die!”

With a quick elbow to the chest, the protruding bone of the Abomination’s body punctured the Hulks. The green creature howled a moment in pain. He was bleeding. The flames were getting closer to the helicopter and he was beginning to feel desperate. With the sheer power of his will, combined with all the strength he had left, he pried both arms away from his body. They growled, trembling with the exertion.

Hulk head butted the other creature in the chest, sending him backwards. He was quick to charge, grabbing the protruding bones along Blonsky’s spine and chucking him headfirst into the stone door. Turning back just in time, he saw the sparks fall, igniting the pool of fuel. It flew up to the tanks, exploding in an instant.

With a clap of two giant hands, the force of the wind blew the flames away, though it rocked the helicopter forcing the General, Steve, and Betty back. Steve and Betty pushed forward to look out the window. They were still stuck, but they could see the Hulk as he nodded towards them. Betty was in awe while Steve nodded back in thanks. That could have been their end, but the big guy had saved them. It was all right, until they could see Blonsky get up behind him.

“Look out!” Betty yelled, but it came too late as the creature slammed a large chain into the Hulk. Hulk went flying into the rubble. He could hear the shaking of chains as Blonsky retracted them, even as he tried to shake off the hit.

Blonsky pulled a few more post out of the ground. Swinging the chain over his head, he launched one of the posts causing it to slam into his prey. Betty kicked out the door to the helicopter trying to figure out a way to help. Hulk tried to push up, but couldn’t. The day’s events were taking their toll. He couldn’t fight anymore.

Betty and Steve were helping Ross out of the helicopter. From the looks of things they were the sole survivors of the attack. As Ross stepped out, he was still shaky as he got his first up close look at the second monster he had helped to create.

“General?” Blonsky growled. He swung the chains again, the posts slamming into the blades. Steve jumped in to protect the General and Betty from the falling debris. There wasn’t anything he could do to help Hulk, but he could keep them safe. The ex-soldier glanced over to where the Hulk was illuminated by the flames. It growled low trying even harder to push to its feet despite feeling completely exhausted.

“Any last words?” Blonsky the Abomination asked it even as he swung the chains over his head mimicking the blades he’d just destroyed. He raised the chains high trying to bring them down. He didn’t notice the Hulk getting to his feet, his focus on the General and his daughter.

“Hulk, Smash!”

The Hulk slammed his fists into the ground. It created cracks in the ground. As the creature swung, it stepped into the crack, the hole losing his grip on the chains. They flew straight up in the air, coming back down to land on him, causing him to fall back on the ground. Hulk scooped the chains up with a quickness, wrapping the chains snugly around the Abomination’s throat trying to choke the creature out.

Blonsky flailed, elbowing the Hulk, reaching out for the General, Betty, and Steve before the Hulk regained his grip on the chains. The tussled, punching and pulling. The Hulk slammed a sharp spike into the Abomination’s chest. The Hulk was dragged by the Abomination as it struggled to get free. Still the Hulk held strong to the chains. Blonsky’s foot was still stuck in the crack as Hulk yanked back hard roaring. This is had to end. As Blonsky went limp, Betty yelled, “Stop!”

He came to his senses again. Soldiers and the police had regrouped, armed as they hit the roof top. The fight left Blonsky as Hulk pulled him free letting him fall to the ground. It was over…had to be over. Hulk slammed a foot on the Abomination’s chest and let out a loud roar of victory and rage.

When a soldier came forward, aiming high at the creature, it was Ross that pushed the gun down. The police and the spectators stood back watching as Hulk kicked the Abomination over at Ross’ feet. Ross looked up at Hulk…no Banner…with a bit of awe and respect. Betty rushed over to the Hulk and Steve followed. He wanted to thank Banner, but stood a little bit back as Betty approached.

“It’s okay.” She spoke only a little bit higher than a whisper. Hulk reached up and took a tear from her cheek.

“Betty,” the Hulk growled softly and then the moment was ruined. A spotlight from another helicopter shined down on him. Hulk sighed looking over at Rogers. “Keep her safe.”

“You’ve got it,” Steve said coming up to stand next to Betty.

Hulk turned growled up at the chopper before running towards the damaged military aircraft. With a final look back at the love of his life and his new friend and comrade. The light fell on him again and he knew he had to get away to leave them again.

So he jumped, swinging through the city, running again. Just a new adventure in the life of Bruce Banner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this kinda quickly while in bed with a fever, so sorry if it's riddled with mistakes. I wasn't able to write much this week just due to being busy with work and other stuff, so this got started on Friday and finished about an hour ago. My beta will get me an updated version when she can. I hope you enjoy this chapter and if you get a chance go read the new chapter of Interlude Party. I'm almost done with the next chapter of Before We Go and it should be up sometime this week. Definitely not tonight though, I'm exhausted and still a little sick. Again, hope you enjoy and I will be finishing up Hulk next week!
> 
> Please leave me comments and Kudos. They feed my muse and I enjoy hearing from you! Also, please feel free to let me know if I've made a mistake or something is unclear. I'm trying to improve my writing and I'm always looking for positive and constructive criticism. Thanks!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also find me on Instagram. I do post pictures of my writings and other projects: SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Updated Chapter 3 - 12/28/2014)  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> Before We Go: (Chapter 1 Posted - 12/14/2014)  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	26. Without Incident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Betty recover and talk about the fate of Blonsky and General Ross. Bruce Banner has some unfinished business to take care of despite the fact that he's on the run. Tony visits Ross on his own mission.

Betty’s life was slowly starting to get back to normal. It had only been about two weeks since the incident on the rooftops. She had spent a few days in the hospital, treated for minor injuries from the plane crash. Of the handful of people on the plane, only she, her father, and Steve Rogers had walked away with their lives.

Once she had been released, she went to visit Rogers who had been put up in the same hospital as she was. Despite the fact that he seemed better off than she did, S.H.I.E.L.D. was taking every precaution with him. Although a soldier, used to being beaten up and slung around, he was much older and they took precautions. The serum, along with Steve’s usual workout regimen, kept him fairly healthy and allowing him to heal much more rapidly than usual, couldn’t stop everything. He had to recover from his injuries just like everyone else. S.H.I.E.L.D. was taking extra precautions to make sure Rogers was back to full strength, even if he insisted he was fine. The Colonel had taken quite a beating over the last week and his injuries had accumulated to the point where doctors felt like he needed an extended hospital stay, if only to be monitored.

During that time, he had caught up on his reading and his team lead had volunteered to do his paperwork while he was in the hospital. He had been happy to see Betty up and about, worried that when the adrenaline had worn off she had just as many aches and pains as him and her father. At least he had been able to shield her from the brunt of the pain. It made his own pain a little bit easier to deal with.

It was clear to him that she was still struggling to come to terms with what had been going on. The signs of depression were there and Steve poked a little bit, wanting her to try and talk about it. It became clear that she was concerned about Banner…missed him.

“A part of me wants to think this was all a dream, but then I see the pictures we took.” She held up her digital camera of Bruce and Steve outside of the pickup truck when Steve asked her what was on her mind. “Where do you think he went?”

“Probably somewhere secluded. A place where he can be alone and fight off the stress.” Steve leaned back on the mattress.

“Are you still planning on pursuing him? For S.H.I.E.L.D.?” Betty asked watching as Rogers looked over at her.

“No, I don’t think that Dr. Banner needs to worry about being chased anymore. It wouldn’t do any good to put him in a cage and with his beliefs...with what he’s trying to achieve….I don’t think he’s the asset type. I’m going to recommend that he be monitored, just for the safety of others, but as long as he keeps the other guy under control, S.H.I.E.L.D. won’t actively pursue him.”

Betty released the breath she had been holding. It was a big relief to her that Bruce wasn’t going to have to worry about S.H.I.E.L.D. anymore. Of course that still left her father, but with all the favors he had called in, she was sure that he wasn’t going to be able to go after Bruce for a little while and that was if it was an option anymore. He had Blonsky in custody, so there really wasn’t a dire need for him to go after Bruce, but if her father labeled him as a threat….it was only a matter of time before the hunt would be on again. She just hoped that Bruce would be safe, wherever he went.

The creature that used to be Blonsky was given the official code name of the Abomination. He had been put into a cryo-cell until the day came that they could figure out how to undo what had been done to him or until the US decided to study him for weapons application. Right now, the military and S.H.I.E.L.D. were putting an effort into concealing and cleaning up the incident. It would keep them busy for a little while longer. As it was, there was always a risk of being unable to control the man, so for now, the cry-cell was the only way to contain him. They also had to transport the creature somewhere that Hydra wouldn’t go looking for him. Most likely, Blonsky would be taken up to a very well-guarded underground base in Alaska. That would be the best place to put him and Steve knew that was where Ross was pushing to send the man…and requesting a transfer to.

As for Ross, he had been chewed out by his superiors for the various incidents regarding both the Hulk and the Abomination. He was to take the sole blame for the entire thing, and had been suspended for a few weeks with pay. The first day on suspension he’d smoked quite a few cigars and downed enough liquor to get a little bit drunk. He had also gotten a visit from several S.H.I.E.L.D. liaisons to discuss what was going to happen with Blonsky among other things. Though Steve hadn’t been told the details, he had been told the discussions were going well for the time being.

Once they had talked through what had happened and what was happening, Betty felt better about the situation. She felt more grounded than she had before, even if everything had changed. She had answers to the questions that had plagued her the last few years. Bruce was alive and well. Although they were apart, at least for now, Betty knew he was out there somewhere and that gave her some comfort even if she missed him and selfishly wanted him to come back. It wasn’t safe, may never be safe, and that was something she was just going to have to live with.

After a little bit of encouragement, Steve encouraged Betty to go sight-seeing in New York before she had to go back. Her being taken by the Hulk had been considered a kidnapping by all accounts, though to Betty it really hadn’t been. Still the University had given her a few weeks off. She wasn’t really too keen on returning to Virginia to face a life without Bruce, but she knew that she’d have to.

As she rode the ferry around to visit the newly constructed Statue of Liberty, one that had taken years to be rebuilt after it had been destroyed by Hydra, she looked down at her camera. The battery was dying and her charger was at home. Before it cut out for good, she got one final look at Bruce’s picture. The ferry docked and she made her way over to the added Liberty Memorial, a wall that listed the names of soldiers and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who had lost their lives fighting Hydra. Her fingers slid over the smooth stone surface of the first part of the monument. As the names of the Howling Commandos that had passed away stared back at her, she smiled. At the bottom was enough space for one more name to be added before the next heading. There was still one of them around to protect them. She would never forget everything Rogers did for her and for Bruce.

This wasn’t the end. She had a feeling that she would see Steve Rogers again and she knew that this wasn’t the end for her and Bruce. She would find a way to see Bruce again. With one more lingering touch on the memorial, she continued her tour. It was time for her to start to enjoy life again.

~~~~~

There was practically a party waiting for Steve when he returned to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. After the last few hectic weeks he had, he wanted to get back to his routines. He still had a few thing to take care of with Ross, but until his lawyers…well Stark Industries lawyers on his behalf, could get the man into their offices for a sit down, there wasn’t much to be done. Ross was busy with his own issues, and kept pushing back any attempts to meet with counsel. Steve doubted there would be a meeting any time soon, but he knew that he would eventually be able to hold Ross accountable for his actions legally. Until then, he was trying to figure out a legal way to stop the military or others from meddling in stuff they shouldn’t…especially since he had all rights to anything resembling Dr. Erskine’s research.

He had finally got to say what he wanted to Ross. The General had come to see him in the hospital to…in an indirect and gruff way…thank him for looking after his daughter. Steve had brushed it off, having not really done anything spectacular other than the helicopter, and that had been on instinct. Instead, Steve used the opportunity to have it out with the man. He spoke his mind clearly and told Ross if he ever found him messing around with the super soldier program again, he’d make sure that the General would pay for it. The General had brushed him off, but from the weariness in the man’s voice, Steve knew he finally understood the consequences of everything he had done. Steve could only hope that the man actually learned something from his encounter with Blonsky.

After a little bit of mingling, Steve slipped into his office to get away from all the people. He wasn’t too fond of parties and being the center of attention. Besides that, there were too many things that he needed to catch up on to enjoy the festivities surround his return. He had barely sat down in his chair when his newly issued cell phone began to ring. Steve was genuinely surprised to see that it was Tony. He hadn’t spoken to the billionaire in a few weeks and usually a phone call with Tony usually led to a major headache. Still, he should at least talk to the man and make sure he was doing all right. He answered the call and was immediately bombarded by Tony’s exuberant voice and matching personality.

“Hey, just making sure that you actually survived and you’re alive. Which…obviously you are seeing as you answered your phone.”

“Yes, I’m still alive, with only minor injuries. Is that all you wanted, Tony?”

“Well someone’s in a bad mood. Two questions, and some very possible follow ups. I’d say this might be quick, but you know…”

“No I don’t know, but go ahead.”

“Really?”

“Ask before I hang up.”

“Okay, first Pepper wants to know if you’re going to come back and help out with the Expo.”

“What Expo?”

“Uh…the one I’ve been planning for a while now. It’ll be like the ones my old man used to hold, but mine will have a little more me to them. You’re just going to have come out here and see the plans.”

Steve knew Tony meant for him to return to the Malibu house. He had just gotten back and really couldn’t afford another leave of absence.

“No promises Tony.”

“Well, Pepper wants to possibly move it to New York and it’s gonna take a couple of months to get it all set up. I’ll let you know what we end up doing. And now for my other pressing question. What is Agent Agent doing calling me and asking me for a meeting?”

“Agent Agent?” Steve asked extremely confused.

“You know…short, partially bald, takes himself a little too seriously.”

“You mean Agent Coulson,” Steve said dryly as he glanced out his window. The man in question was talking to Agent Barton. The two men were laughing lightly and Steve couldn’t hide his smirk.

“His name is Agent as far as I’m concerned.”

Steve took a calming breath. Tony was such a pain. “No, I don’t know why Coulson wants to meet with you. It’s probably something for the director, seeing as he usually wants as little to do with you as possible.”

Tony scoffed on the other end of the line. “I’m almost hurt, Rogers.”

“You’ll get over it,” Steve bantered back. “Don’t blow off your meeting with him, Tony. It might be important and don’t call him Agent Agent to his face.”

“Yeah, fine.” There was a short pause. “You’re really okay?”

Tony rarely sounded so serious. Ever since Afghanistan, he’s been a little bit more serious and concerned about others.

“I’m fine, really Tony. I’ve got some work to catch up on, but I’ll come to make sure you haven’t destroyed your lab soon.”

He could almost picture Tony smiling. “That was low even for you, Rogers.”

“Maybe it was.” There was a loud crash coming from outside the office followed by laughter and someone shouting wanting to know where he was. “Uh…Tony I’ve got to go. I think I have to go fend off the masses.”

“Have fun, Cap!”

He got off the phone just in time for Clint to come in with a minor bleeding cut on his temple. It was going to be a long night.

~~~~~

In Bella Coola in British Columbia, up on a hill surrounded by a field, trees, and a beautiful view of mountains sat a small little wooden winter cabin. It was very secluded, peaceful and calm. The perfect environment for Bruce to recover after what happened in New York. The wounds that the other guy had sustained in the fight had slowed him down for a couple of days. He was sore and tender, even if he had no real bruises or cuts on his body.

The surprising thing about the whole thing were that his memories remained intact. He remembered little details even down to telling Rogers to look after Betty. He remembered running away, but he wasn’t clear on how exactly how he got into Canada. It was okay though. He liked it here and he could regroup and figure out what to do now. There was one minor thing he knew he had to take care of first. There was something he had to get back.

He found some work where he could get paid in cash and worked hard. After paying for a P.O. Box for a few months, he sent away for it and it should be arriving any day now. Today was his day off of work, so he slept in a little bit before heading out for his morning run. He ran to the post office on his days off to make sure he didn’t miss it and this morning he was rewarded.

After paying the money to buy the necklace back from the pawn shop where Betty sold it, plus the shipping cost to send it to Canada, he was able to get it back, but he would be only one stop on its journey. He found that he couldn’t let go of the fact that she sacrificed something so important to her to help him. Bruce had to get it back to her.

He removed it from the packaging, holding the thin chain across his fingers. In his palm rested the small heart. Slowly he clenched his fist before reaching for an envelope. He jotted down the familiar address before placing the necklace inside. He leaned it up against a bowl on the table. He’d drop it off to be sent out in the morning before he had to be at work.

As part of his daily routine, he kept up his meditation. It’s been a month now, a month since he’d last transformed. Unlike last time though, he wasn’t trying to completely stop it. Everything he had tried to get rid of it had failed and Stern’s serum had only offered a temporary cure. Since he couldn’t stop it, at least not yet, he had to learn to control it. He needed to know that he wouldn’t kill someone unaware again and he had to know if whatever Sterns did had something to do with maintaining his memories and contributing to the control he exhibited at the end.

Instead of focusing on something calming, he called forth the memories that made his heart pound. His hands clenched into tight fists. He focused until he felt the switch flip, his eyes flew open glowing that same radioactive green. He smirked.

**Days without incident…31…0**

~~~~~

Tony wasn’t expecting this when he walked into a bar in Arlington. Ross was sitting at the bar smoking his cigar and occasionally knocking a few hard ones back. He’d order the bar tender to ‘reload’ his glass. He paused waiting for the bright light of the day to shut and straightened his suit jacket and made sure his arc reactor wasn’t visible under his white shirt.

When he met with Mr. Super Secret Agent, the man had set this up asking if for once, if he’d like to help Steve. Going to talk to Ross about recruiting Blonsky for that thing that Fury had mentioned to him a few months ago when they had talked briefly about this Avenger’s Inititive he was trying to put into play. Tony knew Steve didn’t know anything about it…yet. Fury made it clear that if he told the older man, Fury would personally shoot out both of his knee caps and although Tony had joked at the time, he knew the S.H.I.E.L.D. Director was the kind of man who always kept his word.

As for the other Agent’s request, he was to be his annoying, obnoxious self and simply ask for Ross’ assistance. If the man told him to go to hell, then S.H.I.E.L.D. was fine with that. They just want him to try. It was a fact that they were clearly expecting a no, but once Coulson mentioned that Ross’ actions had led to Steve being in the hospital, well Tony was on board to mess with the man. You don’t mess with someone close to the Stark family and get away with it. That and he now had a dislike-hate relationship with the military since he stopped making weapons for them and made one for himself.

“Hmm. The smell of stale beer and defeat. You know, I hate to say, ‘I told you so,’ General, but that Super Soldier program was put on ice for a reason.”

It wasn’t well known that the General had put in questions to Stark trying to get information on Rogers and the original Super Solder program. Tony knew it was a sore subject with Steve, so he never betrayed the confidence of his Godfather by betraying what he knew. Tony was a pain, but he wasn’t heartless. That and he was sure that Steve didn’t know how much Tony knew about the whole thing. No one did, but he had inherited things from his father, things that he had look through and read and discovered. They were interesting to say the least.

“I’ve always felt hardware was much more reliable.” Tony continued to keep the conversation going and to be a little bit mocking to the soldier.

“Stark.” Ross said, his tone implying he was a little bit surprised by the billionaire showing up.

“General.” Tony nodded trying to keep his tone light and amicable.

Ross blew smoke into his face. “You always wear such nice suits.”

“Touché. I hear you have an unusual problem.”

“You should talk.” Ross’ eyes were wide and his tone dry almost sarcastic.

“You should listen.” Tony said seriously. Ross took the cigar out of his mouth and sat up to lean in a bit. “What if I told you we were putting a team together?”

“Who’s we?”

Tony’s allowed a corner of his mouth to curve into a brief half-smile. This was going to be fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I'm sorry that I didn't update last week, but I really didn't have anything to give you guys. I sent this to my beta last Sunday and she got it back to me on Monday. I've already sent her the next chapter, it'll have to wait until next week for that one. Also, I've finished the next Chapter for Before We Go and I sent it to her. As soon as she gets it back to me I'll put it up, seeing as I don't have a set schedule for that one.
> 
> Anyway, this is one of two wrap up chapters for Hulk. This is the wrap up for the military, Betty, and Bruce. The next one will be the wrap up for S.H.I.E.L.D. and a little bit of a set up for Iron Man 2. I hope you all enjoy the new chapter and I'll see you next week!
> 
> Please leave me comments and Kudos. They feed my muse and I enjoy hearing from you! Also, please feel free to let me know if I've made a mistake or something is unclear. I'm trying to improve my writing and I'm always looking for positive and constructive criticism. Thanks!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also find me on Instagram. I do post pictures of my writings and other projects: SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Updated Chapter 3 - 12/28/2014)  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> Before We Go: (Chapter 1 Posted - 12/14/2014, Chapter 2 Up This Week!)  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	27. Unyielding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few more things need to be wrapped up at S.H.i.E.L.D., Steve has an enlightening conversation, and Red Skull keeps on scheming...

“Rogers, I sent you on a mission to bring Banner in. Now you’re telling me that you don’t think that we should bring him in.”

Steve sat down across from Fury, thinking very carefully about what he was going to say. The one thing about Nick Fury is that the man always seemed annoyed or angry, so it was difficult to gage his moves. Steve had no regrets about letting Banner go and it was rare for him to pull his rank, but he was going to have to put his foot down on this. He was going to have to be practical though. Fury wasn’t going to take his opinions into consideration, so it was better to go with the facts.

“Nick, it would be more of a liability for us to have him here. The last thing S.H.I.E.L.D. needs is the military breathing down our backs wanting a piece of whatever Banner has inside of him. That and I seriously doubt we have any cell or the man power to contain him. For now all we can do is monitor him while we come up with a more permanent solution.”

Fury glared at him with his one good eye. It was obvious that the other man didn’t like Steve’s logical assessment of the situation. Steve knew Fury didn’t have any answers for the points that he had made. The director’s hands were tied like the rest of them.

“What’s your honest assessment of Banner personally? I need to know that he’s not a threat to civilians.”

“Banner is actually really level headed. He’s taken a lot of steps to keep…the other guy…under control. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone and I think after what happened with Sterns, he might have a little more control over the creature’s actions.”

“You think?” Steve could hear the skepticism in Fury’s tone.

“What do you want me to say, Nick? I can only tell you what I witnessed when he fought with Blonsky and after. I know the man is searching for a way to stop the transformation. Sterns’ experiment was only partially successful, but I wasn’t there to see what kind of long term effects of what it would do. It did stop the transformation and Banner has a lot more control of his own emotions than most people I’ve come across.”

Fury seemed almost thoughtful as he stood up and walked over to the window. He had a stunning view of the water with bits of the city from where he was standing.

“And what do you think Banner’s next move will be?”

“He’ll lay low. Probably head somewhere remote or to small villages trying to avoid stress and the military. Banner knows what to avoid to keep from being tracked, but we’ve got good people. I’m confident we’ll find him.”

Fury walked back over to the desk and picked up a folder, handing it to Steve. “We already did.”

Steve opened the folder to see photos of Banner. He seemed to be in a better state than when he’d last seen the man and appeared to be doing odd jobs for money.

“Where were these taken?”

“British Columbia…Bella Coola.”

Steve studied the photographs a moment longer before snapping the file shut. “What are you going to do now?”

“I have some agents monitoring him. As long as he isn’t a threat, that’s all we’ll do…for now. If he becomes a threat…well I plan on putting Stark on that. If it comes to that, I need to know that you’re willing to put your personal feelings for Banner and Miss Ross behind you and do what needs to be done.”

Steve didn’t like what Fury was asking of him, but he was fairly confident that Banner wouldn’t go down that path. The scientist didn’t want to hurt other people and had worked so hard to stop his transformations. Only time would show the man’s true character to Fury.

“If it comes to that, I’ll be ready, though I hope I’ll never get that call.”

He tossed the file onto the desk in front of him and stood up. Although he hadn’t been dismissed, he wasn’t staying. For once he’d rather be doing his paperwork, though today he had somewhere else he had to be. Steve almost made it to the door when Fury called out to him. The man had to have the last say in every conversation they had.

“Don’t make me regret trusting you, Rogers.”

Steve managed to smirk. “You won’t.”

~~~~~

The air was chilly and smelled of latex and antiseptics hit his nose the moment he stepped through the doors of the hospital. Steve wasn’t too fond of hospitals and hated the idea of walking back into one when he’d just been released the week before. Unfortunately for him, he’d just been told a few days prior that Natasha was in the hospital and he couldn’t not visit her now that he knew.

Though he didn’t know the details of the mission she’d been pulled to complete, he knew that she’d been shot and was being kept in the hospital for observation. Natasha didn’t share much of her past with anyone. Steve knew she had been raised in Russia and had been trained by the Soviets, he didn’t know much else about her. He had the clearance to her files, so he could look if he wanted to, but he respected the privacy of the agents. Unless it became a necessity, he refused to pry into the lives of others.

He’d found out from Clint her room number, so he didn’t stop. The door to her room was shut, so he knocked to announce his presence and opened the door to step into the room…only to be met with a gun aimed at his head. Steve held up both of his hands in a placating gesture.

“Whoa, Natasha. It’s just me.”

Natasha seemed clear enough to recognize him and slowly lowered the gun to the bed. She looked tired and in pain. Her hair was a little bit longer than the last time Steve had seen her a few weeks ago, a wild curly mess that stood out when she lay back against the pillow.

“You should have waited for me to call you in. Next time I might shoot you. Come in and shut the door.”

“Right. I’ll do that next time.” Steve did as she asked. “How’d you manage to get a gun in here?”

“I called in a favor.”

“Barton?”

The woman managed a small smile even though she neither confirmed nor denied the fact that Barton brought her the weapon. Instead, she tucked the gun under her pillow and tried to get comfortable again.

“I’m…uh…sorry I didn’t visit earlier. I just found out that you were injured the other day.”

She made a soft scoffing sound. “You had your hands full with a big green rage monster. I thought Coulson was going to lose his cool with the flaming helicopter and then watching you get carted off by Banner.”

“It was an interesting ride.” Steve agreed. They both grew silent. It was a tense and awkward silence. Steve wasn’t sure what to say to her and she wasn’t looking at him. Well, it wouldn’t hurt to ask at this point. “Can I ask what happened?”

She glanced up at him, looking a bit confused. “They didn’t tell you?”

“You’d be surprised at how much Fury tries to keep from me.” He managed a smile. “Besides, it’d be better if I heard it from you.”

Green eyes studied his face for a moment. Steve wasn’t sure what she was looking for, but whatever it was, she must have found it because she began to tell him what had happened.

“Fury pulled me from searching for you to escort a nuclear engineer from Odessa. Hydra had been trying to find him and Fury wanted him in S.H.I.E.L.D. protective custody. We got about halfway to the rendezvous point when something or someone shot out our tires and the car went over the cliff. I managed to pull the engineer out and tried to cover him…get him to safety. I only got a glimpse of the guy before he fired his rifle. Bullet went straight through me, killing the engineer. I had to wait for the S.H.I.E.L.D. extraction team to come pull me out.”

Steve’s mind raced with more questions. “Did you get a good look at the shooter?”

Natasha shook her head. “Not really. I can tell you it was a guy, tall, with long hair. His face and body were covered from head to toe. His left arm was shiny…a prosthetic or some sort of armor. I couldn’t tell. It doesn’t matter though. He left as soon as he made the shot.”

Something twisted in Steve’s gut. He didn’t often have this kind of reaction when he heard about certain events or descriptions of people. It never boded well in the long run. There wasn’t anything he could do about it now though. Natasha said he disappeared after he’d completed his task. Steve was going to keep the man in mind though, probably even look into S.H.I.E.L.D. files to see if there was any record of the man.

“Don’t get so worked up about it, Rogers. I’ll recover, though if I ever meet up with that man again, I’ll probably return the favor. Right now, you need to focus on your work with S.H.I.E.L.D. and I need to recover. Once I get back into fighting shape, let me do the leg work to find this guy. Then we can take him out. I’m almost positive he works for Hydra.”

Steve thought about it for a moment. He wasn’t going to let this go, but he also wasn’t going to tell Natasha that. Instead he just nodded absentmindedly and they went back to the silence for a few minutes. Steve was glad that she was doing all right. After a few more moments, Steve decided it would probably be best if he left. After all, he had just come to see how she’d been doing and not to interrogate her. He stood up a little abruptly and she was quick to watch him carefully.

“I have to get back to headquarters soon. Is there anything that you need while you’re in here?”

“Tell Fury to stop sending the interrogation squad. I’ve told them everything I know and that’s not going to change any time soon and get Clint on a mission. He needs something to focus on to take his mind off things. If you don’t Sitwell may end up on the nasty end of a prank, not that I wouldn’t mind that.”

Steve laughed at that one. “Okay, will do. Seriously, do you need anything?”

“Not really. Just take care of yourself Rogers. I hate to say it, but if that guy is Hydra, it’ll only be a matter of time before he gets sent after you.”

“I’ll do that if you do me a favor.” When she glanced at him almost expectantly he continued. “Don’t shoot anyone while you’re in here unless they attack you.”

“I make no promises, but I’ll try.” Natasha was grinning as she said that and Steve knew it was her way to tease him. It was enough for him to see a glimmer of her humor. He nodded turning to go. It was time for him to get back and start doing that research. After all, no one had to know about it, at least for now.

~~~~~

It was dark, but the lights of Berlin were enough to illuminate some of the darkness in his home. Schmidt looked out over his empire sipping on an expensive Merlot. He was relaxing today after some of his projects had been completed and a few more started. Best of all, S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn’t been in a position to sabotage any of those projects, not with their precious Colonel Rogers with his hands full with a mission. Schmidt knew that the man was still alive and had returned to New York City, however it would be a little bit longer before he would be allowed back into the field to meddle in Hydra’s affairs.

“Sir?” Zola’s voice called out through the speakers pausing to wait for permission to continue. Schmidt smirked a little as he turned to face the room.

“Report doctor.” The man ordered coming to sit down on one of the plush lounges in his living room.

“Yes, sir. I have a report that the asset was successful in his mission to take out our traitorous engineer. He may have even taken out the Widow as well though that was not his primary target, so we do not have confirmation on that.”

“I doubt that she is truly dead. Spiders are tenacious and unless you thoroughly crush them they will thrive.” He took another sip of his wine. “Is there anything else to report, Dr. Zola.”

“I have an update from our spies about Rogers, Banner, and Stark, sir.”

The first two Schmidt expected, but he was curious about Stark’s name being thrown in there. The man had laid low at first when the news of becoming the man of iron broke the news, however he had been a bit of a nuisance as of late. Still, Schimidt didn’t want to come off as too eager.

“Continue.”

“It seems that Rogers has returned to S.H.I.E.L.D. and he has been digging for information about our asset. It appears he may be a little bit closer to Romanoff than we had originally thought. Fury is keeping him far from any current missions after he failed to bring Banner into their fold, so the files will be a bit harder for him to access. However, he is good at inspiring loyalty in others, sir. There are other avenues to get the information that he’ll seek.”

“A trait that I find most troublesome about the man. Still S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn’t have any concrete Intel on the asset. Rogers can look into it, but he will not find anything out. For the time being, just to err on the side of caution doctor, I do not want Captain America and our asset to meet. We shall save that reunion for a more…opportune moment.”

“Of course, sir. We’ve already prepped the asset for his cryo-cell. There will be no chance that they will meet…at least for now.”

“No mistakes.” This conversation was making him tense. “What do our spies have to say about Banner?”

“He has gone into hiding, however S.H.I.E.L.D. has managed to locate him. Rogers has suggested to Fury that they keep their distance and monitor the man in case he becomes a threat, however without the means to contain or control him, I’m afraid it would be impossible to make an attempt to bring him into the fold without him coming willingly.”

Schmidt grew thoughtful. They already knew Banner’s monstrous self could be an asset, however, from the information they’ve gathered, the man would never come willingly. They could always try their methods with brain washing, however there was no guarantee that it would work.

“We need to find a solution for Banner. He cannot run around the world unchecked nor can we allow S.H.I.E.L.D. to collect him. If the reports of his new found control are to be believed, he would no longer simply destroy Rogers anymore. The man was still deadly and could probably kill quite a few agents if he put his mind to it. We need a way to take him out.”

“I have already put some of our best scientists on the task. I will be assisting them when I have the time. I am already working on several other projects at this time as you know, sir.”

“Just see to it that it gets done.”

There wasn’t really anything else the man could say. He knew just how valuable the doctor’s mind was and the projects Schmidt had put him on took precedence. The fact that the doctor also gathered information and reported to him added to the workload. Even though the man was practically a machine, there were times when his core processing unit needed a break. It was worth it for the amount of progress that he made, so Schmidt allowed him a little leverage as long as the scientist kept producing positive results.

“Sir, about Stark…” Zola hesitated, which was unlike him.

“What about Stark?”

“Well sir, we were able to find information on the arc reactor that runs Stark Industries and is also the power source for Stark’s suit. It seems as though Howard Stark built it with the help of a Russian scientist, Anton Vanko.”

“I remember the name. Vanko was a brilliant man, but he went into hiding before we could recruit him.”

“It seems that we have found some of Vanko’s schematics as well as the man himself. Vanko is dying, however his son, Ivan has followed in the man’s footsteps. To care for his father, he has given over copies of the blue prints for a price. I have personally studied them and it seems as if the core of the device is made of palladium.”

Schmidt smirked. “And palladium is toxic to the body. Remind me doctor, isn’t Stark’s miniature prototype embedded into his chest.”

“Yes sir. It serves as an electromagnet, keeping shrapnel from entering his heart.”

Oh this was perfect. In a matter of months, Stark would face a medical crisis. The man was so egotistical, thinking himself invincible now. How wrong he was?

“Let us just keep an eye on the situation with Stark. I doubt the man will go public with any ailment that may present itself, but should he die, it would be advantageous for us. I also want you to persuade Ivan Vanko to come and work for us. Agree to pay for his father’s medical expenses or anything else he may want. We could always use his talents to our advantage.”

“And what would you have me do with the blue prints?”

“We have other things to worry about than those blue prints. Put them away for safe keeping. We may need them later. That will be all.”

Schmidt didn’t need to say anything else as the penthouse went silent. Schmidt finished off his glass. Perhaps things were looking up after all. Only time would tell if all of the work they were putting into all of this would work out. At least things were never dull. Schmidt knew in the long run, this war would once again come down to him and the Captain. For now, he would continue to grow and tare the other man down. In the end, he was confident of a second victory. As he stared out at everything he had accomplished over the last sixty years and poured himself another half glass. Toasting the city, he polished off the glass before heading into the room. Tomorrow was a new day and he needed to prepare. For what…he wasn’t sure yet. All he knew was he refused to fail, couldn’t afford to fail

And that was enough for him…for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So updating a little bit on the late side tonight, well late for me anyway. This is the last chapter wrapping up the Hulk saga, so I hope you enjoy it! The next chapter will be a little bit of a time jump and going into Iron Man 2. Thank you guys for sticking with me this long. There's going to be some fun in the next saga to look forward two and if you already haven't check out, read the first two chapters of Before We Go and tell me what you think.
> 
> I'm working on the next chapter of Interlude Party and today I mapped out the next chapter of Before We Go. The next chapter of this story went to my beta on Friday, so I expect that back sometime this week, so look for that at least next Sunday!
> 
> Please leave me comments and Kudos. They feed my muse and I enjoy hearing from you! Also, please feel free to let me know if I've made a mistake or something is unclear. I'm trying to improve my writing and I'm always looking for positive and constructive criticism. Thanks!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also find me on Instagram. I do post pictures of my writings and other projects: SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Updated Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> Before We Go: (Updated Chapter 2 Posted - 01/13/2015)  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	28. Vacation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve is dealing with a few repercussions from the decisions he made with Dr. Banner. Though he feels a little guilty about it, he decides that to go spend some time with Tony....and he's hoping he won't regret it.

Steve looked out the window and down at the ground below him. After all this time, he still marveled at the world from 50,000 feet. It was one of the most stunning views, especially as the sun began to set along the horizon. He couldn’t focus on the book he had been reading and he put his brand new StarkPad on the tray table in front of him. His mind was distracted, had been for weeks, and he really wasn’t completely sure of the reason why.

It had been almost eight months since the whole incident with Dr. Banner. Things had managed to get back to some semblance of normalcy. He’d been allowed to go on some smaller field missions to put a stop to some of Hydra’s supply lines and stopped some expansions of their territory within the United States. Steve knew that these missions could have been taken care of by other agents, however he got the feeling that Fury was punishing him for not bringing Banner in. So he had been stuck with missions like his most recent one, collecting an artifact from an asset and transporting it home. He had taken possession of the artifact, however it was too strange to justify bringing it on the plane. Steve had needed to improvise, but it would end up at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters one way or another.

He wasn’t all that upset about it. Steve enjoyed doing his part, but things were just too quiet. It was a little unsettling for there not to be something big going on, but even Steve knew that if things like that happened all the time, everyone would just burn up in the battle. It just felt like a long time since Hydra had caused any major trouble and that worried Steve. It meant that when Hydra mounted another attack on them, it was going to be a pretty devastating blow.

Still until they made their next move, there wasn’t anything S.H.I.E.L.D. could do. They were just going to wait and see what each day would hold. Like right now he was heading back to New York City after taking care of something in Southern California. Tony had been badgering him to attend the opening ceremony of his upcoming Stark Expo. Steve had agreed if only to make the phone calls stop though he had hoped that work would keep him away, but as it turned out, he would be back in the city two days before the event.

Of course he hadn’t been injured and had run out of any other excuse not to attend, so it looked like he was just going to have to be true to his word and show up. He would call Pepper later and make sure that he had the right time and the plan for getting him in without too much trouble. Tony was horrible with the little details, but Pepper would cover what the other man neglected.

The real deciding factor about him going was the fact that he really hadn’t seen the billionaire since the press conference where he ignored S.H.I.E.L.D. and announced that he was Iron Man. Steve had talked to him a few times since then, though there was that one time he got conned into an interview by his Godson who ran away to Malibu after dumping Steve off at a hotel, but both had been too busy to actually see each other. Tony had holed himself up in his Malibu mansion, turning it into the headquarters for his suits and the projects related to that. Tony was never satisfied with his own projects and would constantly tweak them. According to the man he was still building prototypes for his suits, making changes when the man thought something needed improvement.

Besides the suits, the expo had been the next important project on Tony’s list. The Stark Expo had been started by Howard years ago as a way to display Stark Technology and for competitors to display their own tech. The expos had stopped with Howard’s death and when Stark Industries had tried to do one without the genius, the opening ceremonies had been crashed by Hydra. Thankfully, S.H.I.E.L.D. had been there, so other than a lot of damage done to the plaza it had been held in, none of the technology had been stolen.

That was the other reason to move the expo to New York. Hydra wouldn’t be crossing into the city in mass any time soon. Sure S.H.I.E.L.D. was aware that there were spies in the city, but not enough to be able to act. Still, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the New York Police Department would be at this thing full force when it came to the actual demonstrations.

_Ladies and Gentlemen we ask that you return to your seats and secure your seat belts as we prepare for our final descent into LaGuardia Airport. Please put your seats and tray tables in an upright position and turn off all electronic devices._

The sound of the flight attendant’s voice had startled Steve. He had been so lost in thought that he hadn’t realized they were almost there. He did as the attendant asked, turning off the StarkPad and sliding it into his bag. He was grateful that he managed to be able to get a row to himself. Steve traveled so much, plus his fame made him easily recognizable, that many of the flight attendants would just let him keep his bag in the seat next to him. As a joke, Steve always strapped it in like a passenger, and that would sometimes earn him a giggle from one of the women, but for the most part it was actually practical in keeping his bag from sliding onto the floor.

The landing was fairly smooth, although they were going to have to disembark from the plane on the runway and into the airport. Steve knew that someone from S.H.I.E.L.D. was supposed to be picking him up. He just hoped that Tony didn’t pull one of his surprises and manage to show up to the airport. He wanted the night to prepare for their meeting again.

He stepped through the terminal, his bag slung over his shoulder. The airport was bustling as per usual for the time of evening. Steve pulled the cap he was wearing down to shade his eyes from all the people. The last thing he wanted was to be recognized and swarmed by his fans. He didn’t mind in a controlled situation, but he didn’t want a swarm descending on him. The last thing Steve wanted was to accidently hurt someone trying to get away. It had happened once and it wasn’t pretty.

Thankfully, he wasn’t recognized and he was extremely glad to see Agent Coulson standing just outside security. The man was hardly inconspicuous with his dark suit and his sunglasses, but Steve was glad it was him and not Tony.

“Coulson.” He greeted simply with a nod.

“Agent.” Phil Coulson smiled in return. If the imminent threat of a civilian mob wasn’t at hand, Steve would have been amused by the title. No one called him ‘agent.’ It was always Colonel or Captain or sir. Every once and a while he got his last name called, but that usually ended with him being on the receiving end of a lecture for something he’d done. Steve was grateful to the man as they made their way silently to the parking garage.

“I trust that your mission went well.” Coulson struck up conversation once the crowd thinned out and it was safer for them to talk freely. It was too open for them to get into detail, but both men had learned the subtle art of being vague and yet speaking volumes.

“Fairly. There were a few hiccups, but nothing that couldn’t be taken care of.”

“And the package?”

“Should be arriving on schedule.”

“Good.” They had reached the car by this point. Coulson walked over to the driver’s side while Steve ducked into the passenger’s seat. There was something to be said for Coulson’s quick and efficient work style. That’s one of the qualities that made him a good agent. That’s why the man was heavily used by Fury in the field, and seeing as Steve got along with the man, more often than not, he was the liaison between founder and director.

“So when and where is this thing supposed to be arriving? Director Fury was a little worried when you said it was coming by mail.”

“It is coming by mail. I paid extra to rush it here and I used one of the field aliases. It should arrive tomorrow. Why Fury wanted something like that, I’ll never know.”

They were stopped at a stoplight so Coulson risked a curious glance over his shade. “You just love to provoke him don’t you?”

Steve smirked. “Maybe if he took me off these little missions and either gave me something bigger or some time off, I wouldn’t look for ways to aggravate him.”

Steve was rarely playful, but his restlessness had caused him to find ways to provoke Nick Fury a little. The man was easy to annoy and punishment was usually an act of subtlety. Still they usually didn’t punish each other seeing as there was some mutual trust and respect between them. Not a lot, but enough.

“He’s been in a bad mood lately, so don’t be surprised if you get called to his office first thing.”

Steve shrugged. He wasn’t one to provoke a fight, but he was tense enough that he might break his own rule. Maybe Fury wasn’t the best person to go after, but if the man got him angry enough then whatever happened would just happen.

The rest of the ride to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters was silent. Steve figured it would be better to try and get his field report done once he got back. It saved him putting it off and then it never getting done due to him getting too busy. As soon as Coulson parked the car, Steve was climbing out of it, taking his bag with him.

“Steve?” Coulson called after him. The older man turned to look at him, curious as to what his question was and why now of all times the man was using his first name, something Coulson rarely did unless prompted. Instead of speaking his mind, Coulson simply sighed in resignation. “If you’re heading up to your office, I could order you some food. I doubt travel food was any good and knowing you, you’ll sit in your office all night, not eating anything.”

Steve thought about it for a moment. Coulson looked so expectant and Steve knew the offer was sincere and genuine. He took a deep breath, unable to come up with a single reason to say no.

“Sure. Order whatever. I trust your judgment.”

Steve didn’t wait to see Coulson’s expression. Instead he headed to the elevator. Once he stepped in and turned around, the younger man was nowhere in sight and the doors closed making his decision to go up to his office seem almost ominous and final. Steve slumped against the wall of the elevator finally realizing just how tired he was. When the doors opened to the floor he wanted, Steve was quick to walk around the mostly empty cubicles and into his office shutting the door behind him.

He plopped a little hard in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. Maybe he needed a break from all this. The stress of not knowing what Hydra was up to was getting to him and he was tired all the time. The latter mostly due from not getting enough sleep at night. The only problem standing in his way was the guilt he felt every time that he had the thought of taking some personal time. There was too much to do and even with all the agents S.H.I.E.L.D. had managed to recruit, it never seemed to be enough.

Steve leaned back, closing his eyes against the ache beginning to form. He just wanted a few weeks to rest. Maybe he could go out to Malibu with Tony once the opening ceremony was over with. Sure the first few days, Steve would have to deal with Tony’s grandiose gestures, annoying jokes, and all the poking and prodding that came with being with family, but after a few days, the man would get bored or too busy to bother him. That meant he might be able to actually get some peace.

There wasn’t anything he could do about it tonight though. He would have to make some sort of arrangements to make sure that his duties would be covered. Technically he was supposed to submit some sort of form to Fury, but he’d be damned if he’d ever admit that he needed any approval from the man. No, tonight he was just going to have to suck it up and get his report finished.

A half-hour and mild headache later, he was on the third page of his report when the knock came on his door. Coulson pushed it open a little bit revealing the pizza boxes he had in his hand. He had also ditched his suit jacket, tie, and sun glasses. The sleeves of his long sleeved white shirt were rolled up to his elbows. It was rare to see the man so casual.

“So my shift technically ended after I dropped you off, but I figured before I went to my apartment, I can try and help you put a dent in these.”

“Phil, you do realize that I can eat two of these and still have room for more.”

“I know, but if we’re really friends like you say we are…well, I’m not going to leave you alone when you almost look like the walking dead.”

Steve huffed a little at the comment. “Zombies are fiction and S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn’t believe in any of that stuff.”

“True, but there are plenty of agents stocking up for the so called ‘Zombie Apocalypse.’”

Steve couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled up and spilled over at the thought. He’d heard the younger agents mention some crazy things in the past, but part of him honestly didn’t think they actually believed in that sort of thing. He was unaware of Coulson studying him as the laughter died down and he turned away to look out the window at the lights of the city.

“I know you’re not the kind of guy that sits down and talks about what’s bothering you and I’m not trying to pry, but you look like hell Steve. If there’s anything you need or you just want to talk…”

“Thanks, but I’m good. I think I just need a vacation.”

Coulson’s face gave away his shock. “Vacation?”

“Yeah, at least a few weeks off to just relax. Maybe catch up on some sleep.”

Coulson paused. “Okay, that’s not the Steve Rogers I know. He doesn’t do vacations. Are you sick or something?”

“No.” Steve denied knowing part of what Coulson had just said was true. “I don’t know. It’s the first time I’ve seriously thought about taking some time off. I’m beginning to think I might need it, though I’ll probably be begging for an assignment the first week in.”

Coulson smirked. “You’re always busy, so it makes sense that you’d feel overworked. When was the last time you took a vacation?”

Steve thought about it for a moment. “Do extended hospital stays count?”

“No.”

“Then I can’t remember.”

Coulson shook his head. He didn’t know how Steve managed to work all the time and not take a break. Even he got a few weeks off with pay each year. What he wouldn’t give to see just how much PTO Steve had accumulated over the years.

“You should go, someplace warm where you can relax.”

“I was thinking about going to Malibu. Spend some time with Tony.”

“That’s not a vacation.”

“I know.” Steve told Coulson what he was thinking. It felt good to just talk something through with someone. They dug into the pizza while they talked and Steve felt a bit more relaxed.

“If that’s what you want to do, Steve, then you should do it. If you want, I can draft your paperwork for the director…”

“I’m not asking Fury for permission.” Steve cut him off. He would have thought that they would learn by now that he would never ask that man for anything.

“Well, I’ll do it anyway to just make him aware of what’s going on.” Coulson paused. “Why don’t you head off with Mr. Stark after the opening tomorrow? I’ll cover for you and I’ll get a team together to take over your work load. All you’d have to do is finish your field report for that last mission.”

“It’s almost done. I can finish it tonight.” Steve paused unsure if Coulson knew just how much trouble he would be in for breaking protocol. “You’d risk the wrath of the director to help me?”

Coulson shrugged. “Well we’re friends. Friends do those sort of things for each other. Besides, I doubt I’ll get punished too severely. Director Fury uses me too much.”

That much was true. Still Fury would be upset about the whole thing. Well, Steve had been thinking earlier that he’d like to at least verbally spar with the man and it wouldn’t be anything new. Fury was always angry or frustrated with him for something. Maybe the break would do both of them some good. Before he could back out, he nodded looking Coulson directly in the eye.

“Okay. I’ll do it…I’ll go on vacation.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! So we're starting Iron Man 2. Yay! I didn't think that when I started this, I'd make it this far, but I'm having a lot of fun writing this and I'm glad to see some of you are enjoying it as well. I've gotten so many ideas and suggestions for all of this as I've been writing it and there are some fun times ahead. Next time we will get into some of the meat of the story.
> 
> On my other story front, I'm hoping to have another update for Before We Go this week. Just as a note, I changed the title slightly, adding the prefix 'The Tales of Steve and Bucky.' It's part of the Hydra Verse, but our soldier boys' relationship is the focus. I have plans for an additional story that will share the prefix, but that's not something I'm actively working on right now. Thanks for staying with me on this and I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Please leave me comments and Kudos. They feed my muse and I enjoy hearing from you! Also, please feel free to let me know if I've made a mistake or something is unclear. I'm trying to improve my writing and I'm always looking for positive and constructive criticism. Thanks!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also find me on Instagram. I do post pictures of my writings and other projects: SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Updated Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Updated Chapter 2 Posted - 01/13/2015)  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	29. Shoot To Thrill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The opening ceremony of the Stark Expo takes off with style. Tony get's a summons from the US government...

**Moscow, Russia - 2008**

The T.V. wasn’t that big or fancy, but the picture was clear and the sound was good. It was enough…enough to watch the press conference. Anton Vanko listened to it as he lay in his bed. Though he knew English, the soothing sound of his native tongue also spoke through the speakers relaxed him. It made him feel more at home, somehow, listening to the words in Russian. His son Ivan was out of sight, but nearby, close enough for Ivan to call for him if needed, but far enough that he wasn’t hovering and was hopefully being productive.

“I am Iron Man.” Stark’s shocking announcement was followed by the cries of the press. It made his blood boil a bit. Stark was a spoiled selfish man who wasted his genius. There was so much more that could be accomplished with the resources Stark Industries had. The man was a fool.

“Ivan…” Anton called, his voice was weak. It was all he could get out before his cough started up again.

Ivan was standing out in the hallway, a large bottle of liquor in his hand. He’d downed about a third of the bottle before he leaned against the wall. The man knew his father was dying, would be gone by tonight, and there was nothing he could do about it. He’d never show how upset he was to his father, however. It was a weakness when his father needed to see his strength. Maybe that would sustain him.

He pulled his forehead away from the post he had rested it on. Ivan took a moment to collect himself, masking his emotions before he went to his father. The bottle in his hand made a dull thud as it was put on the bedside table and Ivan reached over to prop Anton’s head up.

“That should be you.” Anton spoke in Russian, his voice weak, but Ivan understood.

Ivan reached for an ice chip in the bowl by the older man’s bedside. He pressed the chip to the man’s lips. “Don’t listen to that crap.”

Anton coughed. “I’m sorry. All I can give you is my knowledge.”

The older man coughed again, before shutting his eyes and breathing his last breath.

Ivan allowed his mask to fall as he touched his father’s face reverently. He reached for the bottle trying to stem any tears that threatened to fall. His father was dead. His father was gone. The man who had sacrificed for him and taught him everything he knew had left him alone in the world. He sneered a bit at the pain before shouting to the heavens. He would never forgive the Stark family for taking everything from them.

He had little time to mourn his father. Ever since he had learned of his father’s terminal diagnosis, he had vowed to take revenge on the Stark family. They had taken everything from his father, blamed him, and ruined his career. Howard Stark had taken all the credit for the arc reactor, something the men had worked on together, while his father was deported and left to struggle and survive. Oh how he would make the younger Stark pay.

He pulled out the original blue prints for the reactor. His father’s name was there, before Stark’s. That was enough of a sign for him to put his plan into motion. It would take some time, over a year for him to get his resources together, build his weapon, and accomplish what he had in mind, but he had waited far longer than that.

As he worked, as his plan came together, he started to pay more attention to the man. He had to catch him off guard in order to kill him. Ivan knew he would need to know Stark’s every move in order to outmaneuver him. While his design was far cruder than what Stark had, it seemed to fit in a way. Once the bright white light was emanating from his own chest piece, he chuckled low. Everything was coming together.

~~~~~

**New York City - 2010**

Steve should have known that things were going to be like this. The size of the stage…the number of people attending…the grandness of the entire thing…everything screamed Tony Stark. Thankfully, Pepper had the foresight to tell him to arrive early and which entrance to go through, so he wasn’t mulled by the amount of people who had been standing outside of the pavilion two hours before the show was supposed to start. Pepper had also warned him that Tony had planned something grand for his entrance and she had to go with the man to make sure the plan went off without a hitch or to make sure that Tony would actually make it to the pavilion. The man did have a knack for missing out on the important meetings and ceremonies and it was completely on purpose.

That was why Steve was standing alone backstage listening to the crowd of people chattering and screaming as they awaited the appearance of their host. On occasion one of the backstage crew members would come up to see if he needed anything, but other than that he had been left alone with his StarkPad. Now it had become too loud for him to concentrate on anything and there was a certain excitement that was tangible in the air. It had him on edge and he was hoping that either Tony or Pepper would show up soon.

When the familiar tune of AC/DC’s ‘Shoot to Thrill’ began to pulse through the speakers, Steve knew it was only a matter of time. There were women coming out to the stage and began to dance in time to the music. All were dressed in the red and gold colors of the Iron Man suit, complete with a light on their chest and gauntlets like Tony’s repulsors. Fireworks lit up the sky around them. It was then Steve saw the approaching figure from the sky. Of course, Tony was doing that.

~~~~~

High above the pavilion, an airplane was approaching the air space above the stage. The pilot was speaking to the passengers through the speakers. Tony waited, clad fully in his suit waiting for the okay to drop in on his expo. Pepper stood nearby, clearly unimpressed with this entire thing, but she had let him get away with it.

“You are clear for ex-filtration over the drop zone.” The pilot gave him the okay to head out.

Tony didn’t glance back as the ramp lowered. It was now or never. With a sprint down the ramp and a leap into the air, he began to free fall for a moment, reveling in the sensation. Knowing he had to get down to the pavilion though, he activated his thrusters accelerating his descent to the ground.

He tried showing off, even though he knew that no one had really seen him yet. When a firework went off a little too close for comfort, Tony knew he was going to have to focus and show off in a different way. It was fancy dodging time. With a burst of speed he landed on the stage right in the middle of the circle like Pepper had told him to do. He landed with his classic pose of one knee and a fist on the stage. The metal clanked at the force, but nothing broke.

Tony raised his hands into the sky as the crowd went wild. He knew there was a bit of pyro and some action from the ladies behind him. The genius was just going to take up the opportunity to soak it all up and in. This was his moment, not that it was ever not his moment, but he was going to enjoy every bit of this.

Tony had designed a rig into the stage to remove his suit. As he spun and the helmet came off, he put on his best winning smile, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. His hair was a little messy from the helmet which he was okay with. His suit hadn’t been wrinkled at all, fitting like a glove. The women were beautiful, and did a spectacular job and the crowd was eating it all up. It was perfect.

As the song came to a close, he watched the women walk up and hold out their gauntlets, he was thinking life couldn’t get any better. Then the chanting of his name started up. Oh yeah, this was going to be good.

“Oh, it’s good to be back.” He started with something simple. “You miss me?”

“Blow something up!” A voice called from the audience.

“I missed you too. Blow something up? I already did that.” He paused as the crowd died down a bit. “I’m not saying that the world is enjoying its longest period of uninterrupted peace in years because of me.”

The crowd cheered again. “I’m not saying that from the ashes of captivity, never has a greater phoenix metaphor been personified in human history. I’m not saying that Uncle Sam can kick back on a lawn chair, sipping on an iced tea because I haven’t come across anyone who’s man enough to go toe-to-toe with me on my best day.”

Steve was backstage shaking his head. He understood the grandness of all of this. That was who Tony was, but the arrogance the man was displaying right now was getting on his nerves. It would come back to bite Tony and the man wasn’t invincible. Right now he was just going to have to put it on the back burner and talk to Tony about it later.

“I love you, Tony!” A girl shouted up to him. Tony managed to keep a straight face as the chanting started up again.

“Please, it’s not about me. It’s not about you. It’s not even about us. It’s about legacy. It’s about what we choose to leave behind for future generations. And that’s why for the next year, and for the first time since 1974, the best and brightest men and women of nations and corporations the world over will pool their resources, share their collective vision, to leave behind a brighter future. It’s not about us.”

The crowd cheered again. They seemed to be soaking up all of Tony’s words, though whether they actually heard them was yet to be determined.

“Therefore, what I’m saying, if I’m saying anything, is welcome back to the Stark Expo.” He paused again to let the crowd die down a bit. “And now, making a special guest appearance from the great beyond to tell you what it’s all about, please welcome my father, Howard.”

Tony made a swift exit at to the right side of the stage. The video began to play immediately, displaying the Stark Industries logo, before an older Howard Stark appeared, leaning on his desk. He was a bit older than the Howard Stark Steve had met in 1943, but he was the same man in every way.

“Everything is achievable through technology. Better living, robust health, and for the first time in human history, the possibility of world peace. So, from all of us here at Stark Industries, I would like to personally introduce you to the City of the Future.”

Howard walked over to a real scale model of a city. The camera shifted view to give them a small glimpse before going back to Howard. “Technology holds infinite possibilities for mankind, and will one day rid society of all its ills.”

Tony huffed backstage as he pricked his finger on a medical scanner. It was 2010 and there wasn’t anything available to stop what was happening to him. The irony wasn’t lost to him as the readout read his blood toxicity level to be at 19%. It was only going to get worse. He shook off the pain as he stared down at the reading.

“Soon, technology will affect the way you live your life every day. No more tedious work, leaving more time for leisure activities and enjoying the sweet life. The Stark Expo. Welcome.”

The crowd clapped as the video came to an end. The logo for the first and last expo appeared on the screen before switching to the modern logo. Tony didn’t have time to deal with his ailment at the moment, so he shook off his worry and plastered a big smile on his face. He had to take the opportunity to enjoy this…while he still had the chance.

~~~~~

Once it was all over, Tony walked backstage. He had to pause and do a double take to make sure he was seeing what he was seeing. Steve had actually come and was standing there with his StarkPad and jacked draped on his arm. The man looked a little annoyed, but Tony knew why.

“I didn’t think you’d actually come. I mean, this isn’t really your thing.”

“I called and spoke to Pepper. I’m sure she told you and you either weren’t paying attention or you forgot. I told her I was coming and I took a few weeks off. The plan was that I was going to head back to Malibu with you and spend a little bit of time with you.”

“Huh,” Tony sounded a bit resigned. He did remember Pepper mentioning something about Steve, but he had been trying to finish his new suit in time for the expo, so he really hadn’t paid any attention. Well, the man was here now. “I’m a busy man, but I’m sure I could squeeze in a little bit of bonding time with Captain Spangles.”

Steve frowned. He wasn’t too fond of Tony’s nicknames, but he also knew that was one of the ways Tony liked to show his affection. His mental reminder that Tony was Tony helped a little bit, but not much.

It wasn’t even about the nicknames. At least that wasn’t his main concern. Tony was acting a bit more reserved. Well more than he usually was. Something was off and Steve couldn’t figure out what that was. He wasn’t confident enough to say something was wrong. It was a gut feeling, but Steve’s were usually right. Tony’s smile didn’t seem as genuine as it usually was. Then again, all of this could just be him overanalyzing something that wasn’t there. Maybe he would need to take more than a few weeks to figure it all out, but for now, he was going to let it go.

“First we have to get through all of my adoring fans and schmooze a bit before we can reach my car. Is America’s champion ready for the challenge?”

“As long as I’m not prying college girls off of you again…or me for that matter.”

That got Tony to laugh. “Those were fun times. We should do that again.”

He threw his arm over the older man’s shoulder which was a feat considering Steve was taller than him. Steve hunched down and allowed Tony to lead him along the corridor of the venue. “No, we really shouldn’t.”

They met up with Happy near the exit out to the lobby. Tony insisted they walk through the crowd a bit for publicity. Happy, as Tony’s friend and personal security chief, wasn’t too happy about it. Unfortunately, even with his position, he couldn’t tell Tony no.

Tony tossed his suit jacket at the man. It was too stuffy and he wanted to relax. He’d ditched the bow tie too. Happy caught the jacket.

“All right, it’s a zoo out there, watch out.” Happy turned to someone working the event. “Open up, let’s go.”

They followed Happy out. Tony stepped to the front, putting on his public persona that the people all love. “Hey! Nice to see you.”

Fans crowded them immediately. One girl slipped a phone number into the pocket on Tony’s dress shirt. Happy pushed her out of the way. Fans lined up with pictures, both of Iron Man and surprisingly Captain America. Steve hadn’t announced that he would be there, but he signed comics, posters, and other memorabilia as he listen to Tony chat away with the children who had gathered.

An hour later, the police and a very patently guiding Happy had them to the door. Tony was still lingering behind them and Steve had to go and grab the man, leading him to Happy and the door that led outside.

“Come on, Tony.” Happy called as the door opened and the police held the people back. Camera flashes went off and were ignored. “There we go. That wasn’t so bad.”

“Very mellow.” Tony commented. “No, it was perfect. What’d you think?”

“Not bad.” Steve agreed. Usually it was a mob scene, but today was probably the best public scene Steve had been in since the 40’s.

They stepped towards the car. It wasn’t one of the usual cars. Happy held up the remote and clicked one of the buttons. “Look what we got here, the new model.”

Tony smiled at the attractive woman leaning on the car. “Hey does she come with the car?”

“I certainly hope so.” Happy said.

“She has paperwork. That can’t be good.” Steve muttered knowing the other men didn’t care at the moment.

“Hi.” Tony greeted. “And you are?”

“Hi.” She replied. “Marshal.”

“Irish. I like it.” Tony said as he shook her hand.

“Pleased to meet you, Tony.” She grinned as he rounded the car half paying attention to her and checking out the convertible.

“I’m on the wheel. Do you mind? Where you from?” Tony asked as the top came down. The back seat was kinda tiny, but Steve said nothing as he hopped over the side of the car and into the back seat. He was just going to let Tony deal with this.

“Bedford.” She responded.

“What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you.”

“Yeah? You found me. What are you up to later?”

Tony and Happy climbed into the car. The conversation wasn’t really going anywhere and didn’t have a point. Then she dropped the bomb.

“Serving subpoenas.”

She held out the subpoena to him. Tony glanced at it unimpressed. Happy reached for it, but Steve snatched it up first. The last thing they needed was Tony to order Happy to lose it. Opening it up, Steve read it over.

“He doesn’t like to be handed things.” Steve and Happy said simultaneously.

“Yeah, I have a peeve,” Tony added.

She smiled. “You are hereby ordered to appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m.”

Tony looked up at her. “Can I see a badge?”

“You wanna see the badge?” She was curious. Because he asked she would have to show her identification, but there was something about Tony.

“He likes the badge.” Happy said eager to see it too. Tony and his friends liked women with power. She held it up.

“You still like it?”

“Yep.” She bit her lip at the strange flirting. Tony Stark was the man. Steve just shook his head, closing up the subpoena and putting it into his jacket pocket. It looked like their trip was going to get postponed at least a day.

“How far are we from the Capitol Building?”

“48 Miles, it’s on the other side of the city,” Steve commented.

Tony and Happy glanced back at the man in the back seat. Steve shrugged. It wasn’t the first time he’d been to the Senate, or to the little part of DC in New York City. Tony huffed as he turned forward and stepped on the accelerator. There were two things he was certain of. Tomorrow was going to be fun for him…and Pepper was going to be pissed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been looking forward to writing the whole opening Expo sequence since I finished up Iron Man. Tony and Steve have always had such an interesting dynamic to me and even more so now that I've made them literally like family. I have so many plans for this story, a little bit of the divergence is going to be happening in this story and I'm also going to change up to have some fun with it. I hope you all enjoy the ride and please let me know what you think.
> 
> Now I'm off to go update Before We Go! Please check it out and let me know what you think. I haven't been getting as much traffic on it and I want to know if you like it.
> 
> Please leave me comments and Kudos. They feed my muse and I enjoy hearing from you! Also, please feel free to let me know if I've made a mistake or something is unclear. I'm trying to improve my writing and I'm always looking for positive and constructive criticism. Thanks!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also find me on Instagram. I do post pictures of my writings and other projects: SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Updated Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Updated Chapter 3 Posted - 02/01/2015)  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	30. Making Enemies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony attends his hearing and things don't exactly turn out quite how the government wants them to.

The capital building smelled of new paint and wood as the committee members tried to get Tony to pay attention to the matter they had summoned him here for. On an ordinary occasion, Tony would have just ignored the subpoena, but with Steve knowing about it and telling Pepper, there wasn’t any getting out of it this time. Both of them dragged him out of bed this morning and were currently sitting behind him in the crowd of reporters and bureaucrats and military personnel waiting to hear the details of these proceedings.

“Mr. Stark, could we pick up now where we left off? Mr. Stark. Please.” Tony was currently turned around talking to Pepper. She kept mouthing for him to turn around. Steve was flat out ignoring him at this point, and that wasn’t any fun.

“Yes, dear?” Tony said as he snapped around to smile at the committee. This was going to be fun and he was going to enjoy it.

“Can I have your attention?” The fat man had a nameplate that marked him as Senator Stern.

“Absolutely.” Oh how he was going to mess with this guy.

“Do you or do you not possess a specialized weapon?”

So that was what this was about. “I do not.”

“You do not?”

“I do not.” Tony repeated. “Well, it depends on how you define the word ‘weapon.’”

Stern leaned back in his seat. “The Iron Man weapon.”

Nope, this wasn’t happening. “My device does not fit that description.”

“Well…How would you describe it?” Stern leaned forward in his seat looking over the table. Tony wanted to flip the man off, seriously debated it, but then again that wasn’t really his style.

“I would describe it by defining it as what it is, Senator.”

“As?” The Senator prompting him wasn’t going to help his case.

“It’s a high-tech prosthesis.” The entire room erupted into laughter. “That’s actually the most apt description I can make of it.”

The committee was not impressed with his joke. “It’s a weapon. It’s a weapon, Mr. Stark.”

Yeah, Tony was really not in the mood to deal with this guy. “Please, if your priority was actually the well-being of the American citizen…”

“My priority is to get the Iron Man weapon turned over to the people of the United States of America.” Stern looked a little smug.

“Well, you can forget it.” Tony wasn’t about to turn anything he designed and built over to anyone, least of all the government. He’d already gotten an up close and personal look at where his company’s weapons ended up and he put a stop to that. There was only one suit…well there was more than one developed, but he was the sole owner and user of the suit. After this was over he was so putting protocols in place to make sure no one could get their hands on a suit, but for now he was busy dealing with this guy. “I am Iron Man. The suit and I are one. To turn over the Iron Man suit would be to turn over myself, which is tantamount to indentured servitude or prostitution, depending on what state you’re in. You can’t have it.”

The room laughed again. Pepper and Steve were probably the only two people who didn’t find it funny. Pepper just wanted Tony to take things a little more seriously. Steve thought that too, but right now he was siding more with Tony than he was with the government. He understood that they were always looking for a new way to combat Hydra and keep the country safe, but taking that kind of technology and trying to replicate it and give it to people who either didn’t understand it or would misuse it, wasn’t a good idea. Though Tony shouldn’t have a specialized weapon and dispensed vigilante-type justice, it was the lesser of the possible evils that were out there.

“Look,” Stern said his smugness disappearing as he tried to talk some sense into Stark. “I’m no expert…”

“In prostitution?” Tony cut him off keeping his face straight. “Of course not. You’re a senator. Come on.”

He turned around at the laughter and waved a peace sign to the cameras and crowd. Pepper stared him down. Tony mouthed ‘no’ at her and she just continued to glare at him unamused. His comment didn’t seem to even faze the Senator from Pennsylvania, though.

“I’m no expert in weapons. We have somebody here who is an expert on weapons. I would now like to call Justin Hammer, our current primary weapons contractor.”

Tony looked up and over to see the man walk up to the table and sit a few seats away from Tony. Justin Hammer was the world’s biggest wind bag. He was all talk and no results. Why he was even here when it was obvious to anyone who could read a business report that Hammer and his company couldn’t produce the results the government needed in the war. He definitely wasn’t an expert of any kind, as far as Tony was concerned.

“Let the record reflect that I observed Mr. Hammer entering the chamber, and I am wondering if and when any actual expert will also be in attendance.”

There was a little bit of murmuring from the crowd and Hammer toasted his water glass at Tony for the jab. Maybe there was one redeeming quality about the man if he could take a stab with some dignity. He chuckled into the microphone, not looking at Tony as he spoke up.

“Absolutely. I’m no expert. I defer to you Anthony. You’re the wonder boy.” He looked up at the Stern, before standing up to address the committee. “Senator, if I may. I may well not be an expert, but you know who was the expert? Your dad. Howard Stark. Really a father to us all, and to the military-industrial age. Let’s just be clear. He was no flower child. He was a lion. We all know why we’re here. In the last six months, Anthony Stark has created a sword with untold possibilities. And yet he insists it’s a shield. He asks us to trust him as we cower behind it. I wish I were comforted, Anthony, I really do. I’d love to leave my door unlocked when I leave the house, but this ain’t Canada. You know, we live in a world of grave threats, threats that Mr. Stark will not always be able to foresee. Thank you. God bless Iron Man. God Bless America”

Tony wasn’t impressed. It was a petty speech wrapped up with pretty words. It didn’t say anything that everyone in this room didn’t already know. If Hammer thought his words were going to move Tony, he was wrong. Tony wasn’t one of his father’s biggest fans, but he had to live with the man and Howard was tough on him. Bringing the man up to him wasn’t earning Hammer any points and Tony was the kind of man to spite him in his own way. Stern had that smug look on his face again. It wasn’t going to be there much longer though.

“That is well said, Mr. Hammer. The committee would now like to invite Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes to the chamber.”

That wasn’t a name he had been expecting. He turned in his seat to look at the doors behind him. “Rhodey? What?”

Cameras flashed and the room began to talk again. Tony got to his feet to greet his friend as the man walked down the aisle. Rhodey was in his uniform, looking very professional and straight faced.

“Hey, buddy.” Tony greeted shaking the man’s hand. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Rhodey knew it wasn’t a casual statement. Tony was rarely thrown off and not in the know on things. “Look, it’s me, I’m here. Deal with it. Let’s move on.”

“I just…”

“Drop it.”

“All right, I’ll drop it.”

Rhodey was rarely in a playful mood anymore. He had taken a little bit of a hit over all this Iron Man mess, but not enough that he would stop being Tony’s friend. It helped that Steve had smoothed things over, making sure that everyone knew that Tony’s announcement of being Iron Man was unscripted and shocked them as much as it did the rest of the world. After that, life moved on, but Rhodey still held a small grudge over the entire thing. As they passed Steve, Rhodey stopped and reached over to shake the man’s hand, a gesture that didn’t go unnoticed, but he would be damned if he didn’t pay some sort of gratitude and respect to Steve Rogers.

Steve nodded to him and they turned getting back on track with this meeting. They walked up to the table. Stern didn’t waste any time as he pulled a packet out and continued to prattle on.

“I have before me a complete report on the Iron Man weapon, compiled by Colonel Rhodes. And, Colonel, for the record, can you please read page 57, paragraph four?”

“You’re requesting that I read specific selections from my report, Senator?” This wasn’t what Rhodey had come for.

“Yes, sir.” Stern replied.

“It was my understanding that I was going to be testifying in a much more comprehensive and detailed manner.”

“I understand.” Stern cut him off a bit, not sounding the least bit sorry about it. “A lot of things have changed today. So if you could just read…”

This time Rhodey did cut him off. “You do understand that reading a single paragraph out of context does not reflect the summary of my final…”

“Just read it, Colonel. I do. Thank you.”

“Very well.” Rhodey nodded opening up his copy of the report. “As he does not operate within any definable branch of government, Iron Man presents a potential threat to the security of both the nation and to her interests.”

That sounded bad, even to Rhodey’s ears. He had to salvage this somehow. “I did, however, go on to summarize that the benefits of Iron Man far outweigh the liabilities. And that it would be in our interest…”

“That’s enough, Colonel.”

“…to fold Mr. Stark….”

“That’s enough.”

“…into the existing chain of command, Senator.”

Tony leaned forward in his chair. “I’m not a joiner, but I’ll consider Secretary of Defense, if you ask nice. We can amend the hours a little bit.”

He glanced over at Rhodey and Hammer. Rhodey was nodding his head. The guilt was clear on his face, whether it was about the report or the fact that he just made Tony look bad even though he had tried to salvage it, Tony wasn’t sure. Hammer just looked thoughtful, maybe a bit bored. What a completely useless moron.

“I’d like to go on and show, if I may, the imagery that’s connected to your report.”

“I believe it is somewhat premature to reveal these images to the general public at this time.” Rhodey looked a little pissed off with the Senator now.

“With all due respect, Colonel, I understand and if you could just narrate those for us, we’d be very grateful.”

Rhodey waved to the screens. “Let’s have the images.”

On the screens showed some sort of satellite imagery that had been blown up and enhanced to be seen. At the top, it said ‘Weaponized Suit Intelligence.’ Tony would have scoffed at it, but he knew it wouldn’t help his case. No, by these images being opened up and shown on the screen, he knew just what to throw at them. They weren’t the only ones who were paying attention to governments trying to replicate his tech. Too bad for them, no one was even close to the technology that he had developed. Now it was just time to wait for the right moment in order to show the committee just what he had. For now he would let Rhodey keep going and let the images speak for themselves. As it was, he had pulled out his phone and started to find what he needed

“Intelligence suggests that the devices seen in these photos are, in fact, attempts at making manned copies of Mr. Stark’s suit. This has been corroborated by our allies and local intelligence on the ground, indicating that these suits are quite possibly, at this moment, operational.”

Tony scoffed. Operational? Nowhere even close to that. Holding his phone up to the screens he hit a couple of buttons to hack into the system, because yes, he was Tony Stark and he could do that. What made it better, was the stunned dumb look on Hammer’s face.

“Hold on one second, buddy. Let me see something here.” When he was obviously successful he did the same to the other side. “Boy, I’m good. I commandeered your screens. I need them. Time for a little transparency. Now, let’s see what’s really going on.”

“What is he doing?” Stern demanded. The entire committee looked puzzled. Stern a little bit outraged as if to say, ‘how dare he do this to us’ to Tony. He was ignored. Steve leaned over towards Pepper a little bit nervous, but he couldn’t help but be a little bit curious. “What is Tony doing?”

“I’m not sure.” Pepper answered. “But knowing Tony, we’ll be paying for it later.”

“If you will direct your attention to said screens…I believe that’s North Korea.”

The language on the screen was undoubtedly Korean as they crowd watched their machine take a few steps before falling to the ground. As it rolled onto its back, the pilot probably panicked as the automatic gun attached to the opposite side began to fire into the air. Soldiers on screen scattered as some of the men in the room stood to get a better look at the black and white footage. As the bullets flew towards the camera and the cry of pain off screen was heard, the committee began to panic.

“Can you turn that off? Take it off.” Stern demanded as the other committee members either turned away or gaped like fish out of water. Tony wasn’t listening though as he pressed another button on his phone. “Hydra-run Iran.”

Justin Hammer got to his feet to go over the screen covering it part way with his body. It was too late as they watched something, a suit no doubt, come crashing down from the skies. A large cloud of smoke and dirt billowing from where it crashed. Then it came flying at the camera as parts went flying off to the sides. It took out the camera with relative ease. Now for Hammer, since he so nicely volunteered by trying to mess with the screen.

“No grave immediate threat here.” Tony paused and switch the screen over before asking in a curious voice. “Is that Justin Hammer? How did Hammer get in the game?”

On screen was test footage from Hammer Industries main frame. Hammer was there trying to get the pilot to lift up one of his legs. The suit copied the movement, though it was a bit jerky. The real Hammer began to scramble trying to stop the show. He pulled out one of the boxes under the screen he frantically began to look for which chords to pull out.

“Justin, you’re on TV. Focus up.” Tony’s tone was light and teasing.

On the screen Hammer began to talk to the pilot in the suit. “Okay, give me a left twist. Left’s good. Turn to the right.”

As the pilot turned, the suit sparked and the entire top half of the suit was facing backwards. Hammer and his employees jumped back. “Oh, shit. Oh, shit!” Hammer’s voice came from the speakers although he was off camera. The suit continues to spark though the pilot was silent. It was then that the real Hammer yanked the chord and the screens went black.

He marched over to the table and Tony was grinning at the man. The crowd, the committee, let’s face it, everyone in that room was stunned and no one knew what to say.

“Wow!” Tony started off with. “Yeah, I’d say most countries, five, ten years away. Hammer Industries, 20.”

Hammer made a quick grab for a microphone. “I’d like to point out that that test pilot survived.”

“I think we’re done is the point that he’s making.” Stern spoke up, clearly not happy with the turn of events. The fact that this hearing was being broadcast across the country and would be on world circuits in a matter of hours, made it all the more embarrassing. “I don’t think there’s any reason…”

“The point is, you’re welcome, I guess.” Tony chimed back into the conversation.

“For what?” Stern snapped.

“Because I’m your nuclear deterrent. It’s working. We’re safe. America is secure.” Tony leaned forward, letting his emotions flow in his tone. “You want my property? You can’t have it. But I did you a big favor. I’ve successfully privatized world peace.”

The crowd began to clap and Tony held up peace signs to the crowd. Tony ignored the committee behind him and instead addressed the crowd. Press cameras swarmed to the front to record.

“What more do you want? For now! I tried to play ball with these ass-clowns.”

“Fuck you, Mr. Stark. Fuck you, buddy. We’re adjourned. We’re adjourned for today.” Stern spoke up to that.

“Okay.” Tony was casual as he slid his sun glasses over his eyes and held a thumbs up to the committee.

“You’ve been a delight.” Stern added sarcastically to which Stark blew a few mocking kisses.

He was so done with these ass holes. He began to walk up the aisles to the back where Happy was waiting for him. There was a good chance Pepper was pissed. Steve it was kinda hard to tell how he was going to react, but Tony knew that the fact that Steve wasn’t a huge fan of government politics, he at least had something in his favor. He’d find out just how angry they were, if he was allowed on the plane later. Right now, he was going to celebrate. Well, he would if there wasn’t a camera in his face.

“My bond is with the people. And I will serve this great nation at the pleasure of myself. If there’s one thing I’ve proven it’s that you can count on me to pleasure myself.”

~~~~~

Ivan watched the press conference, fighting the urge to spit on the screen in disgust. There was still so much to do, so much to work on to be ready. He would meet Stark and his suit in battle. Then he would prove the man wrong and laugh in delight as Stark’s cold, dead body lay at his feet.

His whips were almost done. They just needed a few more tweaks here or there and then the electricity would flow. Then he would need a harness. He’d sent away for his papers to travel. Once he got the flow just right, he put on the suit powering up the whips. Now for a test.

He stared at his wall of clippings and debated destroying it. It would be good to get rid of the evidence. Then he could hear the clips of the committee meeting replaying on the television. When it got to some of Stark’s more noticeable clips he spun around slamming a whip down on the dead center of the TV. The force and the amount of electricity cut through the box, splitting it in half in a sparking and fiery demise.

It was ready, now he just had to find Stark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone and welcome back. So nothing particularly exciting about this chapter. Mostly Tony being Tony, and while that's not exciting, it's fun. One more informative chapter and then the real fun begins. Hope you guys enjoy and stick with me through this. I know a lot of you are waiting for the relationships to happen and they will, but it'll take some time and some realizations on the part of our heroes. Believe me, I have plans and if you stick with me through the more boring parts, it'll get good!
> 
> Please leave me comments and Kudos. They feed my muse and I enjoy hearing from you! Also, please feel free to let me know if I've made a mistake or something is unclear. I'm trying to improve my writing and I'm always looking for positive and constructive criticism. Thanks!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> (Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel): http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> (Writing Tumblr): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also find me on Instagram. I do post pictures of my writings and other projects: SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 3 Posted - 02/01/2015)  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	31. Of Changes and Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony has a problem that he has to find a solution for...but he's put some contingency plans in case he can't.

The trip back to Malibu was fairly peaceful. Pepper stayed behind to take care of some business, so she wasn’t there to chew him out. All Steve had said on the matter was that he didn’t agree with the government interference with certain things, but he warned him that Stern and Hammer would be out for blood and to watch his back. Tony already knew that, but thanked the older man sarcastically for his wisdom and that he would do just that.

He’d recovered from his partying and the whole semi-stressful bullshit that came from dealing with the council. Now he was getting back to work on his stuff. Tony clapped his hands and his holographic displays came up, scanning over his lab.

“Wake up. Daddy’s home.”

_Welcome home, sir._ J.A.R.V.I.S’s voice and music started blaring through the speakers. _Congratulations on the opening ceremonies. They were such a success, as was your Senate hearing. And may I say how refreshing it is to finally see you in a video with your clothing on, sir._

As J.A.R.V.I.S. spoke, Tony could see the displays over his suits reminding him of their statuses. When J.A.R.V.I.S. mentioned the hearing, Tony smirked at the comment as J.A.R.V.I.S. brought up YouTube footage of the Tony’s fuck you moment. He chuckled as he heard the whirling of the blender off to the side in the bar, followed by the splashing as Dum-E failed to put the lid on top.

“You!” The hand turned towards him as if to look at its master. As it did so, it knocked over the blender, spilling the contents on the counter and making more of a mess in the makeshift little kitchen. “I swear to God I’ll dismantle you. I’ll soak your motherboard. I’ll turn you into a wine rack.”

The robotic hand lowered itself with a shameful whine. Tony was unimpressed and the only reason he had yet to follow through with a threat he had made many times before today was the fact that the annoying little thing had done something right…and it had saved his life. It didn’t make Dum-E any less obnoxious, but the whole life saving thing put it into perspective for Tony.

“How many ounces a day of this gobbledygook am I supposed to drink?” He asked J.A.R.V.I.S. not too happy about it. The drink was a bit on the bland side, but if it kept his issue in check, well, he would do whatever it took.

_We are up to 80 ounces a day to counteract the symptoms, sir._

He drank down the bland swill and placed his blood testing device on the work bench in front of him. “Check palladium levels.”

_Blood toxicity, 24%...it appears that the continued use of the Iron Man suit is accelerating your condition._

Well, shit! He was in trouble. At this rate, the poisoning of his blood from his palladium core was going to kill him sooner rather than later. He was searching desperately for a solution, but there was nothing, nada, zip, zero… For now, no one could know. Pepper and Steve would mother hen him to distraction and Rhodey would probably crash a tractor trailer through his labs and hand deliver his suits to Stern for Tony being so irresponsible.

_Another core has been depleted._

Tony pulled the reactor out of his chest. The core in the back of the reactor pushed out and looked like a burnt, dried up piece of toast. That couldn’t be good for his body.

“God, they’re running out quick.”

_I have run simulations on every known element, and none can serve as a viable replacement for the palladium core. You are running out of both time and options. Unfortunately, the device that’s keeping you alive is also killing you._

Didn’t Tony know that? He had no choice but to replace the core and shove the reactor back into the chest plate. He tried to ignore the lines that ran out from the plate over his chest like spider cracks. Thankfully, none were visible yet and he could keep on pretending that everything was fine and dandy. Then J.A.R.V.I.S. brought up a projection of what his chest looked like. It had gotten worse in the days he’d been gone.

_Miss Potts and Colonel Rogers are approaching. I recommend that you inform them…_

“Mute.”

Tony yanked his shirt down and the image of his chest disappeared before the others could see anything. He was grateful he had told J.A.R.V.I.S. to warn him when anyone approached, but the last thing he needed was for the AI to give him advice about his personal life.

Steve pushed open the door, holding it open for Pepper to enter the lab. She looked super pissed, so he picked up his glass of gunk and tried to ward her off with sound.

“Is this a joke?” Her heels clacked on the floor as she approached him. “What are you thinking?”

“What?”

“What are you thinking?” She repeated as she came to a stop in front of his desk.

“Hey, I’m thinking I’m busy. And you’re angry about something. Do you have the sniffles? I don’t wanna get sick.” She was sounding a little stuffy and he didn’t want to risk getting sick or an infection with his problem. Pepper wasn’t amused, so he stepped around his desk. If he was going to get chewed out for something…again…he was going to work while he did it

“Did you just donate…”

“Keep your business.” He said already knowing what she was going to ask him.

“…our entire modern art collection to the…’

“Boy Scouts of America.” He grabbed one of his files he’d been meaning to chuck and folded the hologram like a paper ball. Chucking it at a hoop in the air, the sound it made when he made it was like a pinball machine and it lit up a score like one.

“…Boy Scouts of America?”

“Yes. It is a worthwhile organization. I didn’t physically check the crates, but basically, yes. And it’s not ‘our’ collection, it’s my collection. No offense.”

He shoved some of the other project files out of his way or J.A.R.V.I.S moved them. He’d seen Pepper’s face and she looked like she was genuinely surprised that he would do something like that. It seemed that she forgot that he was Tony Stark and he would do what he wanted regardless of the consequences.

“No, you know what? I think I’m actually entitled to say ‘our’ collection considering the time that I put in, over 10 years, curating that.”

“It was a tax write-off. I needed that.”

“You know, there’s only about 8,011 things that I really need to talk to you about.”

Tony wasn’t really paying attention to her. He had too much on his mind and things he needed to take care of before his ‘untimely demise.’ That was if it would come down to that. He hadn’t given up yet, but it was becoming more and more possible. He needed to make sure the people around him would be okay. Among them was the woman chewing out and the other the old man, who didn’t look a day over thirty, following her.

“Dum-E. Hey, stop spacing out. The Bridgeport’s already machining that part.” He said turning to see Pepper had stepped around to block his way forward. Steve was still behind him, blocking his only other exit to get away from her.

“The Expo is a gigantic waste of time.”

“I need you to wear a surgical mask until you’re feeling better.” She coughed. “Is that okay?”

“That’s rude.” She still wasn’t happy and he had brushed her off again about the Expo.

“Tony.” Steve spoke up for the first time since entering the room. Pepper had asked him to come down and help Tony see reason. He made no promises and had even listened to their argument trying to figure out what was going on between the two. He would wait and talk to Tony alone once Pepper left and see if he could figure anything out, but for now, he would at least try and get Tony to be a little bit serious and talk about her concerns.

“There’s nothing more important to me than the Expo. It’s my primary point of concern. I don’t know why you’re…”

“The Expo is your ego gone crazy.”

As they walked, something caught his eye. He reached over and picked it up. It was an artwork with his suit…with Iron Man colored in red, white, and blue.

“Wow. Look at that. That’s modern art. That’s going up.”

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding.”

“I’m gonna put this up right now. This is vital.” He began to walk to the glass wall. There was a perfect place for this thing.

“Stark is in complete disarray. You understand that?” Pepper was yelling at him.

“No. Our stocks have never been higher.”

“From a managerial standpoint.”

“You are…Well, if it’s messy, then let’s double back.’

“Let me give you an example.”

“Let’s move on to another subject.”

“Oh…no, no, no, no. You are not taking down the Barnett Newman and hanging that up!”

“I’m not taking it down.” Tony lied.

Steve leaned against the wall watching the argument with interest. Had things really gotten bad for the company like Pepper was saying? It would make sense if Tony was stressed over that, but the man seemed almost flippant and annoyed with the whole thing. The company that his father had built up was no longer holding an interest for him even though Stark Industries had gone a very different direction from weapons development. It was still trying to find itself in a greater tech market and most of the good ideas that had been put forth had been shut down by Tony. No, something else was bothering the man and he was bound and determined to find out what it was.

By this point, Tony was climbing up on the counter like a child. He knocked a few vitamin bottles to the floor as Pepper and Steve watched him unable to change the man’s mind. Steve turned to look at the TV screen, letting Pepper deal with Tony for now. It held the news about the Expo...which exhibits were being displayed, the venues, and how many days left there were seeing as it went on all year long. There were still 362 days left. When he heard the sound of the frame scraping against the wall, he turned back to watch Tony take down the other artwork piece and put the Iron Man art in its place.

“I’m just replacing it with this. Let’s see what I can get going here.”

“Okay, fine.” Pepper was fed up. “My point is, we have already awarded contracts to the wind farm people…”

“Yeah. Don’t say ‘wind farm.’ I’m already feeling gassy.”

“… And to the plastic plantation tree, which was your idea, by the way. Those people are on payroll…”

Tony turned to look down at her. “Everything was my idea.”

“…and you won’t make a decision.”

“I don’t care about the liberal agenda anymore. It’s boring. Boring. I’m giving you a boring alert.” He jumped down off the counter. “You do it.”

“I do what?” Pepper was confused and that didn’t help her current frame of mind.

Tony looked past her, unable to look her in the eye as this was just something off the top of his head. How was this for spontaneous? “Excellent idea. I just figured this out. You run the company. Pepper, I need you to run the company.”

“I’m trying to run the company.” She insisted, unaware of the bomb Tony had just dropped on her. Tony glanced at Steve who had gotten the gist of what Tony had said. He recovered quick enough to watch Pepper’s reactions.

“Well, stop trying to do it and do it.”

“You will not give me the information…”

“I’m not asking you to try…”

“…in order to…”

“I’m asking you to physically do it. I need you to do it.”

“I am trying to do it.” She shouted at him. This conversation wasn’t going anywhere.

“Pepper, you’re not listening to me!” Tony raised his voice a bit.

“No, you are not listening to me.”

“I’m trying to make you CEO. Why won’t you let me?”

The room got very quiet. Pepper’s mouth snapped shut and she took a small step back. Tony did not just say what she thought he said. There was no way he would make her the CEO of Stark Industries. It was crazy.

“Have you been drinking?” It was the only explanation for this madness. She couldn’t take this seriously.

“Chlorophyll.” He was joking, but serious at the same time. “I hereby irrevocably appoint you chairman and CEO of Stark Industries, effective immediately.” After a brief and awkward pause, he continued. “Yeah, done deal. Okay?”

This was perfect. He wanted to make sure that the people he cared about where well taken care of. Promoting Pepper would guarantee things would run smoothly and she would get the benefits of the position. She could take the company in the direction she wanted to go, and he was sure she wouldn’t revert back to making weapons. It was a win-win for everyone.

“I’ve actually given this a fair amount of thought, believe it or not.” He was lying a bit. He had thought about it, but he’d ultimately made the decision just moments before hand. Dum-E rolled over with a try with a trio of glasses and some champagne on it. Tony stopped to pour three glasses. “Doing a bit of headhunting, so to speak, trying to figure out who a worthy successor would be. And then I realized it’s you. It’s always been you. I thought there’d be a legal issue, but actually I’m capable of appointing my successor. My successor being you.”

Pepper was in shock as she listened. Steve was the one to gently take hold of her shoulders and lead her to the couch to sit down. He kept his hands on her shoulders wanting to ground her as Tony walked over, holding out two glasses of champagne.

“Congratulations?” Tony’s tone came out more like a question seeing as Pepper hadn’t said a word yet. It took a moment to truly sink in and her entire face lit up and she smiled. She hesitated to take the glass from his hand. “Take it, just take it. You too Steve.”

They took the glasses and Tony reached for his own from the tray.

“I don’t know what to think.” Pepper admitted.

“Don’t think. Drink.” She glanced back at Steve who nodded, holding up his glass to toast her new position.

“Congratulations Pepper. I’m happy for you.”

She laughed and they clanked the glasses together. For Pepper, this was monumental. When she had first come to work for Tony, she would have never imagined being offered his position. She brought the glass to her lips as did the others. She was going to savor this moment for a while.

“There you go.” Tony said, sipping from his own glass.

Steve watched Tony carefully over the top of his glass. He still felt like something was off, but now that his shock had worn off, he could feel it. Something was very wrong about this. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but Tony was hiding something.

Now wasn’t the time to ask him about it though. This was Pepper’s moment and he wasn’t about to bring that down with his suspicions. No, he was going to wait a little bit longer and then confront Tony when she wasn’t around. There was urgency in him now. He needed to know…sooner rather than later.

~~~~~

Ivan was waiting in the shelter of a doorway. He had finally heard back from his contact about getting his paperwork to travel. Due to his crimes, and in some part the alleged crimes of his father, he couldn’t get his documents legally. There was also the issue of it taking too long to get them that way. Obtaining them illegally was his only option and so here he was at his appointed time waiting for someone to show up with the last few items he needed to get to Stark.

A man approached him wearing a black jacket. His long hair was slicked back and tied at his nape. He muttered something, handing over an envelope. Ivan took it, sliding it into his jacket. The two men stared at each other for a moment, before the man in the black jacket turned to go out. Ivan watched him pause and check the entryway for police or troublemakers before stepping out into the snow.

Once the man was out of sight, Ivan stepped deeper into the covered alley. Pulling the envelope from his jacket pocket, he opened it to look at the contents. His visa said his name was Boris Turgenov. The picture was a younger version of him before his hair had begun to gray. Most of the rest of the information was fake. Underneath his visa was a plane ticket with his fake name on it, but it was the last item that caught his eye.

His man had managed to do it and Ivan had paid the asking price. In his hand was a ticket into the Monaco Grand Prix race. Stark was set to be there in a few weeks supporting a car that his company primarily sponsored. It would be the perfect stage to end the man’s life among his rich colleagues. Ivan sneered. Perhaps he would take out a few of them too. Tucking the items back into the envelope, he stuffed it back into his jacket before he headed back to his home. It was time to pack and put his plan into motion.

~~~~~

Steve didn’t get a chance to talk to Tony until later that evening. Pepper had gone home a few hours ago after she and Tony had discussed the legalities of her promotion. They would be signing the transition paperwork this week. Tony spent most of the rest of the day down in his lab working on his own projects after that and hadn’t been seen the rest of the evening. He had to come up from the lab at some point though. Steve would be there when he came up, even if it wasn’t until the early morning hours.

Steve waited up for him…curling up on a sofa with a mug of fresh coffee and his StarkPad. While he waited he played around with various features of the device. He was still trying to figure out how to work some of the functions that it was capable of. Tony came up the stairs humming some sort of unfamiliar tune, stopping when he saw the older man sitting there.

“Hey, shouldn’t you be catching up on your beauty rest, being an old man and all?”

Steve smirked at the cheap shot. It was just like Tony to say something like that.

“We need to talk, Tony.”

That was the one phrase Tony hated to hear. It usually meant that Steve was his usual nosey and perceptive self. There was no way the other man could know exactly what was wrong, but he would be the one to figure it out.

“Do you need help with your StarkPad or something? You know I had that manual made especially for you.”

Steve frowned. Tony was deflecting. “I’m trying to be serious.”

“So be serious. Talk to me.” Tony replied grabbing his own StarkPad that he’d left on the table by the stairs. If they were going to do this, Tony wanted a little bit of a distraction.

“You’ve been acting strange since before the Expo. I want to know what’s going on.”

“Yeah. What makes you think that I’m going to tell you anything?”

Steve just glared at the man. Tony could be stubborn, but he’d never denied him information outright. After a moment, Tony exhaled loudly and even though he was looking away from Steve, the older man could tell that there was something Tony wanted to tell him.

“Look, don’t worry about it Steve. I’ve just been a little bit tired lately, with the suits and the Expo and the company…and what I said to Pepper earlier…about being bored…is true. That’s why I want her to take the position. It’ll give her a chance to stabilize things at Stark Industries and invest in her future. She’s been with me a long time and knows the company as well as I do, so I know she’s capable. I still have controlling stock in the company, so money’s not an issue. It’ll just let me do my thing and she can do hers. That’s all.”

Steve knew that wasn’t all. Tony wasn’t the babbling type and that’s what he was doing. There was some truth to what he was saying though. It wasn’t the entire truth though and they both knew it.

“I’m not going to press this Tony, but whatever else is going on, you’re going to have to deal with it.”

“Nope, not dealing with anything until I come back from Monaco.”

Steve’s curiosity and fear were at war at the mention of the country. Monaco was surrounded by Hydra run territory. However, over the years, the small principality had managed to not fall directly under Hydra’s rule, though there was a great amount of money and influence from Hydra there. It was a prime vacation spot for Hydra agents and it was also the only neutral territory in all of Europe where negotiations were held. Schmidt seemed to favor the country and its prosperity, however it was almost unheard of for foreigners, especially Americans, to be allowed into the country.

‘Okay and why are you going to Monaco? You do know where Monaco is right?”

Tony scoffed. “Of course I know where it is. You know the Grand Prix that Stark Industries is a sponsor for?”

Steve didn’t pay close attention to stuff like that, but he knew enough. It was one of Tony’s interests, more or less. He nodded.

“Well after all that debate on where to have it this year, Red Clown decided to do one of his promote good will on the peasants sort of things and offered Monaco for it. Rumor is, the man himself might be there…and as a sponsor, Pepper and I have to go and be supportive. Schmooze a bit. You’re coming too.”

“Tony, I’m not…” Steve didn’t want to go. He didn’t want to risk a meeting with Schmidt.

“I already got you a ticket and I know what you’re thinking about. Schmidt isn’t going to try anything and neither will his men. Bad business practice.”

“It’s not that simple, Tony.”

“At least think about it. Happy and a few security guys are going and the government of Monaco has promised no casualties.”

“Probably on Schmidt’s orders.”

Tony smirked. “You’re probably right. Personally, I don’t know how anyone takes a man who looks like he’s wearing red latex over his face seriously.”

Steve lost his composure at that and laughed. Trust Tony to not take something seriously and turning it into something funny.

“Fine. I’ll think about it. As long as you promise not to underestimate Schmidt if you see him….and don’t call him Red Clown to his face. He may actually kill you.” Steve paused. “And we’re not done with the initial conversation. Stop going off topic.”

“Hey, my birthday is coming up. All the plans I have between now and then should be wrapping up around them and I’ll level out. If I’m still ‘not myself’ by then, I promise to spill my guts, but not before then.”

“I’ll hold you to that promise, Tony.”

Tony’s answering smile showed just how tired he was. He walked towards the steps. Tony stopped at the foot of the stairs, turning to look at the man over his shoulder.

“Go get that beauty sleep, old man. We’ll go out to lunch, my treat.”

Steve scoffed this time. “I’ll believe it when you actually do it.”

“Night, Steve.”

“Goodnight Tony.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday readers!  
> Sorry this chapter's a little dull, but I promise it's going to pick up a bit in the next chapter. I know I've said it before, but I love the dynamic between Tony and Steve, though I also like the whole Tony and Pepper dynamic as well. It's so fun to write the scenes with them and they tend to be the most funny. I hope you are enjoying that as much as I am. This movie is so fun to play with and I have plans
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please leave comments and kudos to let me know what you think!
> 
>  
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr: http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram: SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 3 Posted - 02/01/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	32. The Art of Espionage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony hands his company over to Pepper. Trouble is brewing as S.H.I.E.L.D. send in some back up for Steve.

This was it. Today was the day when Pepper would be signed over as the new CEO of Stark Industries. She was a little nervous and a bit excited about the role. There wasn’t any doubt in her mind that she couldn’t do it, but Tony had left so many things undecided up until now that she was going to have to clean up his mess. While she was unhappy about it, it didn’t really surprise her.

As she walked down the hall to the company gym, she could hear the sound of music playing loudly and gloves hitting pads. Walking around the corner, she could finally see Happy decked out in protective gear as he circled the ring with Tony. Happy had boxed in high school and was teaching Tony some moves, but it was obvious that Tony was doing all the punching. Tony only had gloves on his hands and his hood covered his head and pulled tight around his face. Up on one of the corners of the ring, Steve was holding on giving a few pointers of his own as he dabbed his face with a towel from his own work out.

“The notary’s here! Can you please come sign the transfer paperwork?” Pepper called out trying to get Tony’s attention, but he was a little busy trying to outmaneuver Happy.

‘I’m on happy time.” Tony joked punching a few hits into the padding on Happy’s frame.

Tony side stepped Happy, knocking his glove down before elbowing him in the face. Happy groaned, reaching up to adjust his head gear. That had to hurt. Tony was getting better at his fighting.

“Sorry.” Tony said, not really sounding apologetic.

“What the hell was that?” Happy was still reeling from the hit, but he sounded mad.

“It’s called mixed martial arts. It’s been around for three weeks.”

“It’s called dirty boxing. There’s nothing new about it.” Happy insisted, still a little unhappy about the whole thing.

“I’m with Happy, Tony. If you’re training in boxing you shouldn’t bring in another type of martial arts without announcing it first.” Steve spoke up, leaning against the ropes now as he watched the two men.

“Quiet you. I’m not taking suggestions from someone who just started learning the wussy arts of gymnastics and parkour.” Tony joked. Steve shook his head as Tony turned back to face Happy and got into a fighting stance. “You’re just envious that I’m more athletic than you are, Tony.”

Tony turned back at the teasing. He looked a little surprised at the teasing, but there was also that ‘you’ve got to be joking’ look to his glare. Steve just kept on grinning knowing he had annoyed the younger man a bit. Tony chose to ignore Steve and turned back around to get back into position. “All right, put them up. Come on.”

Happy hesitated for a moment watching someone behind them. When he started gaping like a fish, Tony turned around to look for himself, followed by Steve. Standing in the entrance way to the gym with a clip board in here hand was a well-dressed and beautiful young woman. Long curly red hair hung loose and framed her face. Her skin was pale with the minimal amount of makeup. Tony and Happy couldn’t help but to admire the curves.

Steve frowned at the sight of Natasha standing there. He hadn’t seen her in months, not since she was in the hospital. He had heard she had been released and that Fury was using her to gather technological Intel about Hydra, but nothing about her being back in the field. Steve was technically her S.O., not that she really needed one, so he should have been notified about her return to the field and the details of her mission. The fact that she was here, dressed up like a Businesswoman rather than the fighter he knew her to be and he didn’t have any knowledge of it wasn’t good. She had to be undercover, but the question was why? What was Fury doing?

“I promise you this is the only time I will ask you to sign over you company.” Pepper prodded trying to get Tony to act.

Steve watched as Natasha approached Pepper holding up the binder. Even over the noise of the light scuffling between the other men he heard Natasha ask Pepper to initial the boxes on the page. Meanwhile, in the ring, Happy taped a still staring Tony on the back of the head with his glove.

“Lesson one. Never take your eye off…”

Tony brought a foot up, kicking Happy in the stomach sending the man flying back to the corner of the ring. Happy gasped in surprise struggling not to fall over. While the kick hadn’t been hard or damaging, the force was enough to send him flailing backwards and fighting for his balance.

“That’s it. I’m done.” Tony said, truly done. He grabbed his bottle of gobbledygook and pointed to the woman standing next to Pepper. “Hey, what’s your name, lady?”

“Rushman. Natalie Rushman.” The woman replied looking past Tony to look at Steve. She could see that he was not pleased and she was sure that he would be grilling her with questions later. Still, he had to know that she was undercover, and although he was upset, he wouldn’t blow her cover. She watched as he slid into the ring to help Happy up from where he had slumped in the corner. With a quick word to the man, Steve slid out the way he came and made a quick exit out into the hallway and out of sight. She didn’t let his leaving distract her as Stark continued to talk to her.

“Front and center. Come into the church.” He ordered.

“No. You’re seriously not gonna ask…” Pepper started to say.

“If it pleases the court, which it does.” Tony replied already knowing what she was implying. One last little hurrah before he handed over the keys to his castle wouldn’t hurt.

Natasha managed a smile. “It’s no problem.”

“I’m sorry. He’s very eccentric.”

Natasha approached the ring. She set down the paperwork on the stairs and kicked off her heels before climbing up to enter the ring with the two men. Stark held the ropes apart to help her into the ring and she got her first up close look at the billionaire.

One of the few reasons she had been chosen to go undercover was the fact that over all the years she had worked for S.H.I.E.L.D., she had never met Tony Stark face to face. For some reason, she would either arrive shortly after the man had left or leave before he could arrive. It just worked out that way, something for which Fury was grateful for when he had given her this mission. Stark would find out who she was eventually, but right now, she was Natalie Rushman who worked down at the company’s legal department.

She stood up, staring directly at the man in front of her. He was staring back, drinking from his water bottle as he did so. His hair was plastered to his forehead, his face still covered in a sheen of sweat. He pulled the bottle away from his lips and broke eye contact. Her lips curved as it became apparent that he was a little uncomfortable with the staring match.

“What?” He demanded an answer to the staring, but she just remained silent. Best to keep him a bit off guard with her show of confidence. Gesturing to his friend he added. “Can you give her a lesson?”

“No problem.” Happy said, though his tone suggested he wasn’t really too thrilled about the earlier thrashing.

Tony stepped out of the ring and hopped down to the floor. He made his way over to Pepper. She was sitting on a small two seater lounge waiting for him to be done with his antics.

“Pepper.” He called when he got closer.

“What?” She asked as he flopped down next to her.

“Who is she?”

“She is from legal. And she is potentially a very expensive sexual harassment lawsuit if you keep ogling her like that.”

Tony fidgeted in his seat. “I need a new assistant, boss.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “…and I’ve got the excellent potential candidates. They’re lined up and ready to meet you.”

Tony didn’t want the candidates that Pepper had lined up. He wanted someone he picked out. He wanted the woman who just won their staring contest and was right now staring down someone bigger and taller than her in the ring. Who was she?

“I don’t have time to meet. I need someone now. I feel like it’s her.”

“No, it’s not.”

Both of them turned their attention to the ring as Happy began to ask their questions. Miss Rushman seemed extremely comfortable standing in that ring. Happy looked a little annoyed, but he was paid well to deal with Tony’s eccentricities. He did do some of it because they were friends, but getting paid made it easier sometimes.

“You ever boxed before?” Happy asked the woman. She smiled at him.

“I have, yes.”

“What, like, the Tae Bo? Booty Boot Camp? Crunch? Something like that?” Happy paused after each question. He could see that Rushman was amused and only slightly trying to hide that face. She frowned when he was finished and cleared her throat.

“How do I spell your name, Natalie?” Tony called from the floor, breaking up the tension between them.

“R-U-S-H-M-A-N.”

Tony clapped his still gloved hands together in appreciation before hitting some buttons on the screen he’d built into the table. Pepper huffed in exasperation.

“What, are you gonna Google her now?”

“I thought I was ogling her.” When her profile popped up, Tony was genuinely impressed. It didn’t hurt that the woman was gorgeous on top of that. “Wow. Very, very impressive individual.”

“You’re so predictable, you know that?” Pepper sounded annoyed. Tony almost called her on being envious and jealous, but decided for once to keep quiet and keep the peace with the companies new boss lady.

“She’s fluent in French, Italian, Russian, Latin. Who speaks Latin?”

“No one speaks Latin. It’s a dead language.”

“No one speaks Latin?” He glanced down at the various pictures of Miss Rushman. Blowing up a picture of her in her underwear, he continued to listen to Pepper.

“You can read Latin or you can write Latin, but you can’t speak Latin…”

“Did you model in Tokyo? ‘Cause she modeled in Tokyo.”

Pepper looked over his shoulder and tried to be professional about it. Especially after looking at the obvious lingerie photo Tony had brought up. “Well…”

“I need her. She’s got everything that I need.” Tony cut her off glancing up to see Natalie was watching them, listening in to the conversation. Happy was looking a little proud of himself. Time to school her in the first lesson of boxing.

“Rule number one, never take your eye off your opponent.”

He was getting ready to tap her with his glove when she grabbed him by the wrist. She twisted his arm away from them before jumping up to lock her legs around Happy’s neck. With the momentum and Happy’s inability to react, she flipped him over, his back hitting the mat hard as she held on to the arm and the neck in an unbreakable hold. There were days where she just hated men underestimating her abilities. Sure she had been trained to kill by the KGB and she was very good at what she did now, but men who didn’t recognize that a woman had their skill set frustrated her immensely.

“Oh, my God!” Pepper screeched with the force of the two combatants hitting the ground. Natasha was feeling a little smug. The man in her grip was groaning, tapping at her knee in surrender. She let him go just in time for Pepper to cry out in concern. “Happy!”

“That’s what I’m talking about.” Tony said, even more impressed as Natasha stood up. Happy was quick to scramble to his feet. Today was just not his day was it?

“I just slipped.” Happy said as an excuse.

“You did?” Tony said as he approached the ring.

“Yeah.” Happy affirmed, though he was a little unsteady on his feet. Tony hitting the bell off to the side was even more demeaning.

“Looks like a TKO to me.”

Natalie made her exit out of the ring and back down to the floor. Maybe now she would get somewhere. Sliding her shoes back on her feet she approached Stark and Pepper.

“Just…I need your impression.” She said as Stark stood next to her. He looked a little confused.

“You have a quiet reserve. I don’t know, you have an old soul.”

“I meant your fingerprint.” She corrected.

“Right.” He knew that. Natalie opened up her folder, holding the ink out so that Tony could press his thumb into the ink and then to the paper. Pepper walked up to them smiling. The earlier shock from what Natalie had done had worn off and the excitement had kicked in.

“So, how are we doing?” She seemed a little bit anxious as she asked. Pepper would probably be anxious until she was officially seated on the CEO throne.

“Great. Just wrapping up. Hey. You’re the boss.”

There were no fireworks. There were no noticeably obvious changes of the shift in power. In fact the whole transfer was anticlimactic and drama free. Pepper was breathing a sigh of relief and despite his disappointment, Tony let her bask in the glow of her new position. The glow wouldn’t last long anyway.

“Will that be all, Mr. Stark?” Natalie asked, snapping the binder shut and catching his attention.

“No.” Tony said quickly, but was cut off by Pepper.

“Yes, that will be all, Ms. Rushman. Thank you very much.”

Pepper was the boss now, so Natalie just nodded her head and made her way to the door. She was undercover and that meant completing her role in it by filing the paperwork with the courts. Natasha could feel the eyes on her as she turned the corner. Pausing outside the door, she listened to see if she had managed to make it into the inner circle by becoming Stark’s assistant.

“I want one.” Stark stated, obviously meaning her.

“No.” Pepper responded. Her tone suggested that she was completely against it, but it was Tony’s choice as she would be his assistant. She knew she was already half way in the door. Clutching the binder close, she took off around another bend in the hall only to see Steve leaning against the wall, still in his workout clothes with a towel draped around his neck. Natasha smiled.

“Hello, Mr. Rogers.”

He frowned. “Natasha.”

“You know how this works, Steve. Call me Natalie or Ms. Rushman.”

“What are you doing here? When did you get back?”

She took a deep breath. With all her training, she didn’t feel the least bit sorry for lying to Rogers, but in the long run, it would make it much more difficult to work with. Her best bet was to be diplomatic about the situation and give Steve just enough information for him to let it slide.

“I’ve been back for a few months now. You were gone, so Fury set it up so I was working on some intelligence gathering. As for why I’m here, right after you took off for your vacation, Fury found out some Intel from a reliable source. He believes that Hydra is getting ready to spring something big. You weren’t around for him to tell and Coulson was insistent that you actually get your vacation, so Fury sent me in as a precaution…extra protection for Stark in case he becomes a target. I don’t have all the details and you know how the Director is. My mission was to infiltrate Stark Industries and get close to Stark. That’s all that I can tell you.”

“Hydra hasn’t been able to replicate Tony’s suits or the arc reactor. You think they’ll try to make a grab for him again?”

Natasha shook her head. “I can’t say for sure. I know that the Intel we got was either vague or Fury isn’t sharing what it is. The only reason I’m telling you, even though I was ordered not to, is because I know how much you hate being left in the dark and you would rather be aware of what’s going on so you can be vigilant. Hopefully, Stark will make me his personal assistant, so I can keep a close eye on things as well.”

If Steve wasn’t worried before, he was now. The upcoming trip to Monaco was looking less and less safe the closer they got to it. They were supposed to be getting on the plane to go in the early morning. That wasn’t enough time to make any sort of contingency plans and there wasn’t any way that Steve would be able to talk Tony out of going. If only the man wasn’t so stubbornly persistent…or a magnet for trouble.

“I don’t like this, but there’s nothing I can do about it now. Thanks Natasha.”

She studied him closely. He was very tense. “Does this mean you’re going to keep my cover?”

He took a deep breath thinking it over. “I don’t really have a choice at this point. You’re the only back up I have. I’ll talk to Tony or Pepper if I have to and see if we can’t get you on the plane tomorrow.”

She nodded. “I’ve got to go file this. If I get a chance, I’ll come find you later.”

She began to walk down the hall, passing Steve. Natasha had only told him part of what was going on. This latest move on Stark’s part mostly confirmed Fury’s belief. Stark’s recent reckless behavior, the Expo, and now handing his company over…Fury knew something was wrong and he needed information and time to figure out a way to fix it. Steve didn’t need to know that, not unless Stark told him anything, but that was highly unlikely.

“Natalie,” Steve hesitated over her alias for a moment. “If there was anything else going on, you’d tell me, right?”

Damn Rogers and his perceptiveness. It was a good thing she was an elite spy. Her espionage skills were top notch and not even Steve could fully see through her, though he was better at it than anyone else she’d encountered.

“I’ve told you all I know. If I find anything out, I’ll tell you. Okay?”

There was a small silence as Steve gauged her words. She forced herself to keep breathing calmly and to keep looking forward at the wall.

“All right.” Steve said at last. “I’m counting on you, Natalie. Don’t let me down.”

She nodded. “Yes, sir.”

~~~~~

The weather was warm and balmy as Schmidt stepped out onto the runway. It was dark outside with the stars clearly visible overhead. It had been several months since he had the opportunity to visit Monaco. It was truly a beautiful sight. As he walked down the stairs, he could see the shadow of the man whom he had brought with him. Lips curved at the sight of such subservience carrying the screen that would be his link to Dr. Zola. The man’s face was hidden behind a mask and goggles, his posture stiff though he was slowly observing the runway and the activity in the buildings around him.

“I hate to question your judgment, Herr Schmidt, but was bringing the soldier necessary?”

“I have many reasons for bringing him. Surely you know that despite my strength it would be unwise for me to travel without a visible body guard. After all, Captain Rogers will be in attendance tomorrow along with that fool, Stark.”

“I understand that, sir. However, the soldier has not been tested in such conditions. I cannot say how he will respond to being visible in a large crowd.”

“He is one of our weapons, doctor. Either he will perform to our specifications or I am certain you will see to it that he is reprogrammed properly. I will need some amusement mingling with these inferior creature. It would be best that it happen unknowingly at the Captain’s expense. Besides that, I feel as though I will need him for another task. I grow tired of the younger Stark’s interference. If Vanko is unsuccessful, we will need to deal with matters ourselves.”

Zola was quiet for a moment. “Of course, sir. If there is any problem I will see that it is fixed immediately. We do have the tools to wipe the soldier here if it should come to that.”

Schmidt breathed in the sea air. He was going to enjoy and savor this little reunion and this time they would be rid of Tony Stark once and for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, things are starting to pick up again. I love Steve and Natasha almost as much as I love Steve and Tony. In this set of stories, Steve is a little bit more trusting of Natasha due to the fact that he's worked with her before this and they have a friendship, one that will be tested a bit in this story and later when I get to phase two.
> 
> I hope you guys are enjoy the little curve ball I threw in there. It surprised me a bit as well. I had always planned on having Schmidt in this story, but adding the Winter Soldier, well I had ideas and he's the only way I could figure out how to accomplish them. While I don't think of Bucky/Winter Soldier as a villain, I wanted to give Steve a nemesis more his speed and a glimpse of his best friend, though he's not going to know it's Bucky for a while.
> 
> On a final note, I will have a new chapter of Before We Go up this week. I sent it to my awesome beta late Friday night. As soon, as she gets a chance and gets it back to me, I'll get the edits in and get it up, so be on the look out for that. In the meantime, I will put an unedited clip of it up on Tumblr in a few. I hope that you all enjoy and let me know what you think by leaving Kudos and comments. I love to hear from you guys and I will answer any questions that you have!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post pictures of my writing or the word counts. Check out for previews too): SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 3 Posted - 02/01/2015) - This will be updated this week  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	33. Unpleasant Reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony, Pepper, Happy, and Steve head to Monaco. Tony has a little secret waiting for them, Hammer is obnoxious as ever, and Steve has a reunion long in the making.

Steve had to give the government of Monaco credit. It was everything the travel brochure that Tony had slipped under his door said it would be. Despite the size of the city, it was very picturesque along the water and quite possibly a calm, quiet country. Right now, it was bustling with activity as the racers and sponsors and crew members ran frantically around trying to make sure that everything was going to go according to plan today. The streets were lined with booths, both local and sponsored, selling their wares or racing merchandise. The ex-soldier watched from the car window as they were delayed by pedestrian and vehicles alike on the way to the hotel where the sponsors would watch the events.

Tony was surprisingly quiet. He sat calmly in the seat next to Pepper, looking out the window with a blank expression on his face. It worried Steve to see Tony so quiet. The man was a thinker, yes, but a loud one. The fact that he wasn’t talking spoke more volume than words ever could.

Steve glanced over at Pepper who was basking in the silence. She was looking over the paperwork for their itinerary. It looked as though she’d brought paperwork from the company as well. Obviously she was taking her new role very seriously as CEO and knew that work went on whether they were in New York, Malibu, or Monaco.

As they rounded the Hotel de Paris, the cheering of the crowd became louder. Tony was the first one out, posing and waving to the fans as if nothing fazed him. Steve slid out behind him and caught the frantic cries of a woman in the stands screaming her undying love to him. He ignored the call and settled for waving a bit at the crowd. His public face was necessary if he was going to have any success here in a territory that Hydra supported. It made it more difficult for someone to take him out.

Pepper and Happy brushed past them as they waved. Pepper’s eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses as she nodded to the crowd in acknowledgement. Happy trailed after her holding a suitcase in his hand. Tony and Steve fell behind them, having already discussed being out in the open and how it was unwise. Tony had complained, but when Steve began to tell Tony what happened when a bullet was shot through the head, the younger man had agreed to go along with whatever Steve asked him to do.

“You know, it’s Europe. Whatever happens the next 20 minutes just go with it.” Tony told his entourage as they made their way through the foyer and into a restaurant and bar. It looked as though Monaco had spared no expense for their guests.

“Go with it? Go with what?” Pepper spoke quickly, confused despite being used to Tony’s eccentricities. And then she saw her a fraction too late.

“Mr. Stark.” Natalie Rushman approached them wearing a flattering coral pink dress.

“Hey.” Tony responded yanking his sunglasses off his face. Steve rolled his eyes behind his own sunglasses before removing them. Of course Tony had sent her ahead of them just to surprise or annoy Pepper.

“Hello. How was your flight?”

“It was excellent. Boy, it’s nice to see you.” A server stepped between the trio and Ms. Rushman offering drinks at that moment. Tony and Pepper each took one. Steve declined with a hand up and a head shake. Natalie, who was now taking on the role of Mr. Stark’s new assistant, began to do what she was now being paid to do.

“We have one photographer from the ACM if you don’t mind. Okay?”

Natalie took the drinks from their hand for the picture. Pepper looked…a little amused maybe? She wasn’t mad, but other than that, it was difficult to gauge her reaction.

“When did this happen?” She asked keeping the smile on her face for the picture.

“What? You made me do it.” Tony answered faced with her stare.

“I made you do what?” Pepper asked trying to get some sort of explanation.

“You quit. Smile. Look right there.” Tony pulled Steve in for the picture and pulled Pepper close. Between his clenched smiling teeth he managed a few more words. “Stop acting constipated. Don’t flare your nostrils.”

Pepper laughed, though it was clearly not in humor. “You are so predictable. That’s the amazing thing. Did you know about this Steve?”

“No, but I can’t say I’m surprised.” The man answered once their picture was taken.

“Right this way.” Natalie pushed trying to break up the argument that was beginning.

“You look fantastic.” Tony commented at Natasha stepping ahead of Steve and Pepper to follow her.

“Why, thank you very much.” Natalie sounded sincere and a bit pleased by the compliment.

“But that’s unprofessional. What’s on the docket?” Tony slid his sunglasses back on so he could ogle without being caught.

“You have a 9:30 dinner.”

“Perfect. I’ll be there at 11:00.”

“Absolutely,” She confirmed. She already knew Stark’s habits and arranged for something like that. Tony took off his glasses again, zeroing in on a table on the far side of the room with an open window. Perfect spot to piss off Steve.

“Is this us?” He asked.

“It can be,” Natalie said, confident in her skills to negotiate anything.

“Great. Make it us.”

“Okay.” She said before setting off to make it happen. Hopefully it wasn’t a Hydra sponsored table. That wouldn’t be good.

Steve followed dutifully behind Tony and Pepper, eyes sweeping the room as the duo mingled with a few guests. Everyone here seemed very relaxed, some even known and friendly to the Stark Industries dream team. It was refreshing, but he still couldn’t let his guard down for a second even if he too was technically a guest of the Grand Prix.

“You want a massage?” Tony asked Pepper as they walked over to the bar.

“Oh, God. No, I don’t want a massage.”

“I’ll have Natalie make an appointment. Don’t want you tense.”

“I don’t want Natalie to do…” Now Pepper was getting annoyed. Tony had intentionally brought his assistant back up. To Steve it looked like he was holding a contest between the two women at Pepper’s expense. Steve didn’t approve, but Pepper could hold her own and it wasn’t his place to step in.

“By the way, I didn’t mean to spring this on you.”

“Thank you very much.” Pepper said sarcastically, clearly wanting Tony to feel bad about this.

“Green is not your best color.” Tony added, insinuating that she was envious of Natalie.

“Oh, please.”

No Pepper didn’t like the idea of Tony taking in a younger, pretty woman to take her place. She couldn’t help but feel hurt by Tony doing it behind her back, but she wasn’t envious of Natalie or anyone else for that matter. She was successful and becoming CEO would give her the chance she needed to shine.

“Anthony!” A familiar sing song voice called out. “Is that you?”

Justin Hammer poked his head out from the other bar patrons to look down the line. He was grinning widely, seemingly unfazed by the fact that Tony had shot him down at the committee meeting. Either the man had a brilliant poker face, or there weren’t any repercussions of Tony’s little act for Hammer Industries.

“My least favorite person on Earth.” Tony commented. He wasn’t sure if Hammer heard him, but the man was obnoxious like that. Pepper grinned smugly as the other man came up and slapped a hand on Tony’s back.

“Hey pal!” Hammer said jovially. Did nothing faze this guy?

“Justin Hammer.” Tony acknowledge the presence of the man in the room, but that was all he was willing to do.

“How you doing? You’re not the only rich guy here with a fancy car.” Then he noticed Steve standing on the other side of Pepper. “Colonel Steve Rogers, Captain America, the big man on town. I’ve been dying to meet you…big fan.”

He held out his hand and Steve stared at it for a moment. He was skeptical of the man being legitimately good natured, but he was at the very least polite to people that he didn’t know. Still, the man was a snake from the way he acted, and if there was anything he learned from Tony, men like that were not to be trusted at all. He took the man’s hand in a firm grip watching as Hammer’s eyes went wide with a side of panic. Steve wasn’t the kind of man who enjoyed watching others in fear or pain, but there was a certain bit of satisfaction that filled him as he watched Hammer fight not to pull back. He couldn’t fight the smirk that graced his face.

“It’s nice to meet you Mr. Hammer. I’m not very familiar with your work, but I’ve heard good things down the grape vine about your work for the government.”

“Have you? Really, that’s great. I know with Stark Industries no longer in the business that S.H.I.E.L.D. might be looking for someone to create weapons for them. I’d love to speak to you and the Director about it.”

There was no way that Steve was going to take this guy to Fury although the temptation was there to just annoy the man. In reality, S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists were a force to be reckoned with and had been handling all the manufacturing and adjusting of weapons in Tony’s absence. The only reason S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn’t completely abandoned Stark Industries was the tie back to Howard and the quality of the weapons that came from the company. They were doing just fine and it was a little insulting for Hammer to act like it wasn’t.

Steve knew he was still going to have to be diplomatic about the entire thing. This world had become so political and Steve had been playing the game since the war when Senator Brant had turned him into a dancing monkey. Steve had gotten the last laugh then and would do so again even if he wasn’t around to see it.

“I am currently taking a break from my duties at S.H.I.E.L.D., but when I get back I will be sure to mention it to Director Fury.” Okay, so it wasn’t a complete lie. He would mention Hammer to Fury, but unless the man proved to be genuinely helpful, Hammer wasn’t going to get any kind of endorsement from him.

“Great, I’ll be waiting for a phone call.” Hammer turned his attention to someone behind him. “You know Christine Everhart from _Vanity Fair_. You guys know each other.”

“Hi,” the reporter came around the crowd to stand next to Hammer. She smirked at Tony, but genuinely grinned at Steve. He’d recently gave her an exclusive interview, courtesy of Tony, for which she wrote a very tasteful article on him. He had been genuinely impressed and no doubt it had earned her a great deal of praise for wrangling in a detailed interview with Captain America. She seemed very pleased to see him and everyone knew the reason why.

“Yes,” Pepper, Christine, and Steve all spoke simultaneously.

“Yes, roughly.” Tony added dryly.

“We do.” Christine tacked on with a slight toss of her head as she glanced back at Tony.

“BTW, big story. The new CEO of Stark Industries.” Hammer leaned into Everhart’s personal space and jabbed his finger in Pepper’s direction. It was a little rude, but Pepper managed a smile. “Congratulations.”

“I know. I know” Christine said softly. “My editor will kill me if I don’t grab a quote for our Powerful Women issue. Can I?”

“Oh, sure.” Pepper was legitimately delighted to do something like that. Good spotlight time was nice.

“She’s actually doing a big spread on me for _Vanity Fair_.” Hammer interjected. “I thought I’d throw her a bone, you know. Right?”

“Right.” Pepper agreed, though now it was becoming apparently clear to everyone that this was becoming more and more awkward by the second. No one really wanted to talk to Hammer right now, but they didn’t really have a way out. “Well, she did quite a spread on Tony last year and her piece on Steve was phenomenal.”

“And she wrote a story as well. That was good.” Tony turned the story back on him.

“It was very impressive.” Pepper agreed sincerely. “Very well done.”

“Thank you.” Christine sounded very humble. She was a shark, but she did her job well.

“I’m gonna go wash.” Pepper added quickly, needing an excuse to get out of there. Her skin was crawling from all the fake politeness and enthusiasm in the area.

“Don’t leave me.” Tony pleaded keeping his voice even and flat.

Pepper walked away without an answer. Steve didn’t feel the least bit sorry for Tony. At least, for the time being, he was being a little ignored which worked in his favor right now. Ordering a drink from the bar, he turned back in time to see Hammer slap Tony on the back again.

“Hey, buddy. How you doing?”

“I’m all right.” Tony said dryly looking down at his sunglasses in his hand.

“Looking gorgeous.” Hammer commented and now Tony was a bit disgusted by the weird comment. Hammer was just a strange guy who needed to get away from him right now before Tony punched him. It was bad enough that he felt like crap and was trying to keep himself together.

“Please, this is tough.”

They took a step away from the bar to run into the camera man again. Christine pulled out her voice recorder while Tony slid his sun glasses back over his eyes. Hammer threw his arm around Tony’s shoulder and leaned a bit on him as they faced the camera. This was turning into chaos and that wasn’t good right now.

“Can I ask you…” Christine started to say “Is this the first time…”

“Fromage.” Hammer yelled at Tony. “Say, brie.”

“…that you guys have seen each other?” Christine managed to get out the rest of her question.

“God, that’s so awful.” How Tony managed to keep a straight face through all of this was amazing.

“Listen!” The reporter demanded finally getting their attention. “Is it the first time you’ve seen each other since the Senate?”

“Uh…since he got his contract revoked…” Tony started out. Steve turned to watch them. He hadn’t heard that the contract had been revoked and he was glad he hadn’t made any sort of major promise to Hammer after hearing that. Trust Tony to reveal the truth.

“Actually, it’s on hold.” Hammer corrected.

“…when you were attempting to…That’s not what I heard. What’s the difference between ‘hold’ and ‘canceled’? The truth?”

“Yes, what is?” Christine was intrigued turning the recorder back Hammer’s way. They were all walking to the table with Tony in the lead followed by Steve and Christine on opposite sides and Hammer behind them. Steve sipped at his drink looking over the heads of the other guests for anything suspicious while he paid attention to the conversation.

“No. The truth is… Why don’t we put that away?” Hammer slapped at the hand holding the recorder away from him. He seemed a bit nervous. “The truth is, I’m actually hoping to present something at your Expo.”

Hammer looked Stark in the eye after that. It was a good diversion. Tony highly doubted Hammer would contribute anything worth his time, but he’d humor the other business man. They all took a seat at Hammer’s table before the man responded.

“Well, if you invent something that works, I’ll make sure I get you a slot.”

Natalie was a welcome sight as she came up to stand behind Tony placing her right hand on the back of his chair. “Mr. Stark, your corner table is ready.”

“Yes?” Tony said as he stood up to get away from the crazies. Steve got to his feet as well meeting Natasha’s gaze before she turned to trail after Tony. She looked calm, but Steve could tell that she was trying to convey to him that something was wrong with her eyes. It was an old trick of theirs that they employed over the years so as not to give away an undercover operative. Steve’s eyes swept the room again, unsure of why Natasha had tried to warn him of something.

As he stepped around the table to join Tony and Pepper at the table, the room went eerily silent. The only idiot not paying attention was Hammer as he leaned towards Christine and said. “I have a slot this year. Yes, I do. We kid, yeah. We kid. We’re kidders.”

Tony was either equally oblivious to the presence that had frozen the room or he didn’t care because he turned back and yelled. “Hammer needs a slot, Christine.”

“You surprise me, Mr. Stark.” A thick accented voice flooded the room with an amused and mocking tone. “I would have thought you would only have presentations of extraordinary caliber at this exposition of yours.”

Every eye in the room turned towards the door way. Standing in all black, head held high as any arrogant dictator would, stood Johann Schmidt. He was grinning, showing all of his very white teeth. It looked eerily strange with his red skin.

Tony grinned and very boldly spoke up. “Well, I didn’t know we were expecting royalty to this thing today. I didn’t think racing was…you know…your thing.”

“I have many interests that you Americans are unaware of.” Schmidt responded to Tony before addressing the room. “I am here today as a sponsor for one of the cars in the race and I would like a word with the Captain if you don’t mind.”

“It’s Colonel now,” Steve bit out between clenched teeth. He hated admitting his rank, not liking how he was just promoted to it without earning it and the fact that he was no longer in the army for it to have any true weight to the title. Still, he wasn’t about to let Schmidt get away with calling him any rank but what he was. It was stupid and petty, but he didn’t bow down to the dictator during the war and he wouldn’t do it now.

Schmidt hummed thoughtfully as if he was going to say something. Instead, he gestured for Steve to follow him out of the room pausing just outside the doorway when he noticed that the Colonel hadn’t taken a single step. “I do not have all day, Colonel.”

Steve glanced around the room. Pepper was sitting at their table, pale as a ghost, her lips smashed into a tight line as if to hold back any sound that might emerge. Happy stood between her and Schmidt, though the bodyguard was glancing back between him and Tony. Tony and Natasha stood halfway between the table they’d been coming from and the table they’d been going to. Tony had removed his glasses and was staring at Steve. The man wouldn’t crack any more jokes and from Steve’s perspective he looked tired and a bit haunted even.

Natasha stood behind Tony, keeping her expression neutral. Once again her eyes spoke for her saying what she could not say verbally. She was wary, maybe even afraid though Steve couldn’t tell that much. He knew that she would break protocol, even her cover, if it meant saving Steve from something. Right now though, Steve wasn’t thinking about his own life, but of the lives of the people he cared about and the innocent patrons in the room.

“Hogan, Ms. Rushmore, see to it that Tony stays out of trouble today and that Ms. Potts has everything she needs. Hopefully this will be quick.”

Happy nodded and Natasha mouthed a ‘be careful’ even as she stepped up to stand next to Tony. She spoke softly to the billionaire trying to get him out of sight and harm’s way by getting him over to the table. Only when he was certain she had everything under control did he follow Schmidt out of the room.

The journey was up a few flights of stairs and into a room that overlooked the road the race was being held on. Both men were silent as they made their way there. Steve was thinking, though not too deeply. He was paying attention to where he was going and looking around for a possible assailant. Even when the door shut behind the two men, he refused to relax. Schmidt seemed unconcerned as he walked to a table and poured himself a glass of champagne before pouring a second glass and holding it out to Steve.

“You act as if I plan on ending your life, Colonel Rogers.” Schmidt commented innocently which put Steve more on edge.

“Aren’t you?” Steve bit out wanting to know the real reason why he was here and what the other man had planned.

“Your death is an eventuality Colonel, however, I am a man of my word. I promised not to spill blood here unless provoked to do so. Instead, let us celebrate your luck in managing to survive this long.”

Steve finally took the glass from Schmidt’s hand, though he had no intention of drinking it. He was confused and he knew Schmidt saw that. “It’s a hell of a thing to celebrate, so excuse me it I’m a little confused.”

 “Captain, we have been fighting a personal war for a long time now. The fact that we have not been able to bring the other down is a testament of our wills. We are Gods among men. It’s only a matter of time before we determine who is superior.”

“We’re not superior and we’re sure as hell not Gods.” Steve could hear the cracking of the glass in his hand as he gripped it a bit too hard. Schmidt chuckled before giving Steve another glimpse of those too white teeth.

“You are so easily riled Colonel.”

“Sir,” A voice called out from the far side of the room. “It may not be a good idea to antagonize him.”

That was when Steve noticed the briefcase sitting on a table out on the balcony facing away.

“Do not worry Dr. Zola. I’m sure the Colonel has figured out a productive way to curb his temper. Besides if he tries anything, your soldier is nearby.”

That was when Steve noticed him. The glint of something shiny gave their soldier away as the man stepped out into the room. His arm was a sleek prosthetic with interlocking metal plates. Both arms were exposed making the clash between limbs striking. The rest of the man’s body was covered from head to toe in black Kevlar with thick combat boots on his feet. The lower half of his face concealed behind a mask. Piercing blue eyes stared blankly zeroing in on Steve. Strands of wavy shoulder length hair fell into his face, but the man made no move to brush it away. Instead his metal arm hung loosely at his side while his gloved human hand held up a gun pointing it at Steve as the gun was cocked with a click.

A shot rang out into the room and for a brief second Steve thought he had been the one the man was shooting at. The agonizing cry of pain and the thump of a body hitting the balcony caused Steve to almost turn around, but he wasn’t going to take his eyes off of this man. There was something not right here. There was the factor that the man was definitely dangerous, but he was too silent…too docile as if he was being controlled by something or perhaps someone.

Steve was a little surprised when the man began to approach, walking past Steve to the man lying on the balcony bleeding. He held the gun at the injured man’s face only to be laughed at. The interloper in this meeting began to speak in French cursing Schmidt and spitting blood at his soldier.

“Even if I am unsuccessful in killing you, at least I will go be with my family. One day you will meet your end murderer.”

Steve’s voice was caught in his voice when the second shot pierced the man’s skull bringing his life to an end. He was another victim in this ugly war against Hydra. When would the killing come to an end?

“Very well done. Dr. Zola, you have trained the soldier well.”

“I had help from the Russians.”

“They are to be commended. Remind me to reward them once we have returned.”

“Of course, sir.” Zola then addressed the solider giving commands in Russian. Steve was struggling to breathe as he heard the man give commands and watched the soldier obey. Steve could only understand a few, but he instantly felt sick. The soldier slipped back into the shadows and Schmidt came to stand in front of him. His voice was low, tone mocking, as he taunted the American soldier.

“I hope now you realize that this is a futile war you are fighting Colonel Rogers. Our soldiers are much stronger than yours and they lack your weakness. You will not win in the end.”

Steve just reacted. First he took the damn expensive champagne from the glass in his hand and threw it into Schmidt’s smug face. The glass hit the floor with a crash before Steve slammed his fist into the smug face knocking the man to the floor. It was the cocking with the gun that made him stop his brief onslaught.

“No,” Schmidt commanded before hissing through clenched teeth. “He’s mine.”

The room was tense for a few moments. The soldier pulled the gun away and placed it into his holster. Schmidt brushed away a bit of the champagne that was dripping from his chin.

“I believe it would be best if you return to the party, Colonel. Perhaps when we meet again, I will return the favor.”

Steve didn’t need to think twice. He stomped out the door and down the hall until he reached the stairs to go back down. He made it down a flight before the adrenaline that had kept him upright so far gave out and he leaned against the wall to slide to the floor. It was a miracle that he walked out of that room with his life.

There was something strange about that soldier. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but there was also something very familiar about him despite the fact that Steve was sure that they’d never met before. Of one thing he was certain, that man had to be the same man that Natasha had told him about. That was the man who shot her.

Her concern made sense now and after what Steve had just witnessed there was no doubt in the man’s skill. The soldier was lethal and completely obedient to the cause of Hydra. Steve figured from the blank stare that there had been some brainwashing involved, but the man seemed capable enough to act and make some decisions on his own.

Steve couldn’t bring himself to pity the man. He was a weapon of Hydra and most like volunteered for the role…giving up his rights and freedoms to serve Schmidt. Who knew how many people he’d killed or what other acts he’d been ordered to carry out? Steve knew he had an advisory now, someone that could compete on his and Schmidt’s level. He was going to have to train harder and be more vigilant until their next showdown and there would be a fight with the soldier just like there would be one with Schmidt.

Once Steve was certain he wasn’t being pursued, he made his way back down to the restaurant. He was surprised as Natasha came out of the room and into the empty foyer looking around, eyes landing directly on him. She looked relieved as she approached him.

“You’re okay?” It was more of a question than a statement. What could he say?

“I’m fine, at least I’m not hurt. Schmidt wanted to play with my head and he succeeded a bit. I saw one of his soldiers. I think it was the same one who shot you.”

He heard the sharp inhale; watched as her eyes narrowed and then she exhaled with a hiss. “We’re all in danger.”

Steve shook his head. “Schmidt won’t kill unless provoked. The soldier is here to protect him, but doesn’t have a kill order unless Schmidt’s life is in danger. I don’t think Schmidt wants to start an international incident or create bad press for this place.”

Natasha nodded. “I’ll still be on alert. I have a gun on me. Go back into the restaurant and sit with Potts for a bit. She’s shaken up…worried about you as is Hogan. I’m going to go find Tony.”

Steve’s heart began to pound in his chest. “Tony’s missing.”

“He snuck off to the bathroom while I wasn’t looking. He’s been gone a few minutes, so I thought I would check on him.”

“Find him Natasha. I’m going to go in and keep an eye on the restaurant patrons. While I don’t think Schmidt wants to kill anyone yet, I think there’s a reason he’s here. I want to find out what it is.”

She nodded and turn to head towards the bathroom. “Stay safe, Steve.”

“You too!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry about not updating last week. I really need to update the tags to a work in progress. Last week was so hectic with my birthday and work and we got some snow which wouldn't be a problem if we were used to it and people know how to drive in it. There was also the little factor that I had this chapter half written last Sunday and then I accidentally deleted it. Oh well, I think this turned out a better since I had to rewrite it.
> 
> The chapter didn't turn out how I had planned, but it turned out good. My beta told me 'ouch,' so I think I'm doing my job a little bit. The story is taking a drastic turn and I wanted the confrontation between Hydra and Steve. I want it to hurt when we get to where we're going and I hope that you all stick with me to the end. I want to finish this and you guys reading and encouragement will help me get there.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and continue to go on with me through this! Please keep the comments and kudos and constructive criticism coming. They feed the ideas in my brain and motivate me.
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (I am working on the next one guys, it's getting longer and longer.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 4 Posted - 02/26/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	34. Whiplash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony decides to do something stupid which results in trouble.

Tony walked into the restroom, glancing around to make sure he was alone. The last thing he needed right now was for some reporter to see him checking his blood toxicity. It was an opportunity for him to drop his usual mask. He was starting to feel the negative effects of what the palladium was doing to his blood and on top of that, he was exhausted. Every avenue he had tried to navigate and find a cure or a suitable replacement had hit a dead end.

After the little run in with Red Skull, he knew he needed a break from all the people. While Tony wasn’t all that intimidated by the dictator, it was still exhausting to look the man in the eye. That and he had just watched his godfather go tense and cold at the mere sight of the man. Tony had never seen Steve like that before…angry yes…but not the glimpse of seething hatred behind a calm façade. Oh yes, the inventor could see it for what it was, even if Steve would normally deny it. It made Tony a little concerned for the man, not that he’d ever mention it to the man’s face. No, Tony knew Steve could handle himself in a fight and was strong enough to keep his emotions in check in the face of danger.

Tony felt a hot flash come on, so he undid his tie and the top buttons of his shirt to reveal the reactor before pulling out the reader. The pricking of his finger hurt a bit, but he shook off the pain and looked down at the reader to see it say his blood toxicity was at 53 percent. He glanced up at the mirror and saw the lines running from his reactor were getting worse. It was time to face it. Tony Stark wasn’t going to live much longer.

It was stupidly simple for him to accept. Despite having fought his way out of a cave, nearly being killed twice by Obie, all the reckless missions and high flying daredevilry, he knew that his time would be up sooner or later. Though he wished it was the latter, Tony felt like he had lived a pretty damn good life. Now with Pepper as CEO and his will set up to give his remaining property to Steve, all he needed to do was find a replacement to take his place in the suit. Well, that wouldn’t be decided today, though Tony had some ideas.

It was time for him to cross off his bucket list…that is, if he had a bucket list. If Tony was going to go out, he was going to go out with a big bang and drag the rest of the world into his own private chaotic circus. Now it was just a matter of what to do. As he looked as his own face in the mirror, one question circled through his mind.

“Got any other bad ideas?” He asked his reflection and the expression on his face was telling. Yes he did.

It wasn’t long until he was in a blue and black driver’s jumpsuit with his name across his chest. He wore his sunglasses as he was escorted by police past his rabid fans trying very hard to get an autograph or a pictures. He smirked at them all, even as he leapt over the median where the pit crew and the paid driver were prepping the car. They were all a little stunned to see him down on the track. Tony was in a slightly better mood as he put his plan into motion. This was going to be good.

~~~~~

Back inside, Steve made his way over to the table where Pepper sat. She was on her feet immediately at the sight of him.

“Oh my God! Steve are you all right.”

“I’m fine.” His tone was a little clipped after what he had just gone through.

“You’re not fine.”

“Pepper, please. I don’t want to talk about it right now. I just want to get this race over with and get out of Monaco.” He paused to massage some of the tension from his face. “I need a drink…even if I can’t get drunk.”

“Put it on Tony’s tab. Get the good stuff.” Pepper said as she patted his arm and smiled. It was probably the first time in the last couple of hours she’d been okay. Steve nodded grateful for the reassurance. Pepper was a gem.

He made his way over to the bar and ordered a drink, making sure to put a twenty into the tip jar so that the bar tender would pay attention to him. He could hear Hammer prattling on at the table at Ms. Everhart and for once he thought the man’s droning was a little bit useful.

“Tony and I…Tony…I love Tony Stark. Tony loves me. We’re not competitors. Him being out of the picture created tremendous opportunities for Hammer Industries, you know? Everything that Tony and I do…”

Steve saw Christine’s eyes shifted and he shook his head in exasperation, smiling at the man’s futile attempts to make himself look good. When Christine didn’t seem to be paying attention, Steve glanced around only to land on the TV screen and the familiar figure displayed on it. Damn it Tony!

“Well, what’s the use of having and owning a race car if you don’t drive it?”

Now everyone was watching the TV screen. Hammer was trying to finish his conversation, but even he was distracted.

“…is a healthy competition. Is he driving?”

Christine looked just as flabbergasted as he was. Steve glanced back at his table just in time to see Pepper look over at the screen. Her lips tightened and her face paled again. Today was not her day. Thankfully for good timing, the bartender put down Steve’s drink at that moment. With a quick thanks, he grabbed it and maneuvered through the party back to the table. Unfortunately, Pepper was already calling for Natasha, who had just returned without the man she’d been trying to find.

“Natalie. Natalie!”

“Yes, Miss Potts?”

“Did you know about this?”

Natasha caught sight of the screen just in time to watch the real driver of the car throw his helmet down on the pavement in anger and frustration. This wasn’t good.

“This is the first that I have known of it.” She spoke quickly. Fury had warned her of Tony’s ways. Apparently she hadn’t prepared enough to stop him.

“This cannot happen.” Pepper demanded even as the board on the screen replaced the driver’s name with Stark.

“Absolutely. I understand. How can I help you?”

“Where’s Happy?”

“He’s waiting outside.” Natasha supplied.

“Okay, get him. I need Happy.”

“Right away.” Natasha made a bee line for the door as Pepper looked to Steve.

“Did you know about this?” She accused putting emphasis on the ‘you.’

“No, though I’m not too surprised. When does Tony not do things like this?”

She glared at him. “You have a point.”

It was catching on around the room that Tony was in the race car. Hammer was abandoned by Christine Everhart, upstaged once again by his rival. All eyes were on the TV screen as the race was about to begin. Hammer looked pissed, but as always, he hid it quickly.

“We’re too late to stop it.” Steve said.

“Oh no we’re not.” Pepper disagreed. “We’re going to stop him if we have to go out on the track and drag him off of it ourselves.”

“Let’s not do anything too rash. Hydra is here and they have cars running in this race. It’ll be a big mess if we mess this up. Let’s just wait and see how things play out for the moment and if we have to, we’ll swoop in and save the day.”

“And if Tony gets shot by Hydra?”

“They’re not out for blood today.”

Her eyes went wide. “How can you be sure?”

As much as he hated to admit it, he was going to have to say something to keep her in her seat. “Schmidt let me walk away.”

He left it at that as the race got underway. Cameras were following every move of the racers on the track. Steve would keep an eye out for Tony every chance he got.

~~~~~

Ivan walked around the track with the gear of a worker on. His contacts had managed to slip his name into the hired help to get him a little closer to the race track. At first he thought it a shame that he wouldn’t be able to get to Stark too soon. The workers wouldn’t be allowed into the hotel until the victory party was underway, but Ivan was a patient man. Then Stark had decided to climb into the driver’s seat of a car. Stark was a fool who wouldn’t realize his mistake until it was already too late. It was perfect.

He just strolled along past police and other workers without anyone being suspicious. Before the race he had familiarized himself with the track just in case he needed an escape route. Now he would catch Stark off guard. His equipment was hidden by the orange jumpsuit he was wearing, but it wouldn’t be for long. The world would be watching as he destroyed the man who had destroyed his future.

Ivan pushed open a gateway onto the track. Cars zoomed by him and fans began to look over to see what was going on. Inside the hotel, Pepper gaped at the sight of the man and Steve mentally cursed. An intruder on the track either had a suicide wish or was on a mission. The man flipped off his helmet before ripping open the front of the suit. After a moment, the back of his jumpsuit ignited, burning away as the tools in his hands flared to life. Electric current sparked against the asphalt as a car came speeding around the corner. With a snarl and the cracking of his whip, the car split in two and careened past the man, flipping and rolling through the air until it crashed against the track and the wall.

The sounds of disbelief filled the restaurant as Pepper frantically looked around for something anything that would help. In the doorway stood Happy, holding up Tony’s briefcase in his hand. She was on her feet heading towards the man in an instant. They had to get that to Tony. Steve tossed back his drink before heading after her, though it didn’t take much to catch up. The trio were out to the car in an instant and Steve was grateful for the foresight to bring his shield with him.

“Go, go!” Pepper ordered once the doors slammed shut. The car roared to life and Happy hit the accelerator forcing both of the occupants in the back seat to slam back in the seat. The race track was right there, dead ahead.

“Hang on.” Happy called out as they watched two workers trying to direct them out of the way. They scrambled when he made it clear they weren’t stopping and the car slammed into the chain link fence surrounding the track.

Pepper shrieked a bit in fear and the tires squealed as Happy avoided playing bumper cars with a racer that drove past. He dodged a second racer as he sped down the length of the track backwards to where Tony would be.

Tony was unaware of the danger or of the help coming as he sped around the corner. He saw the man too late, not that he could have avoided him even if he had seen it. He was going too fast and the man was right in the middle lane. The next thing Tony knew, the front end of the car was sliced through and he was flying through the air. The car hit the track hard, flipping so that Tony found himself upside down. Thankfully for the adrenaline rush of the race, he wouldn’t be feeling the pain for a bit and managed to remove his helmet and the safety belts keeping him in place.

He could hear the humming of the current now, see the man walking steadily towards him, and see the cars coming around the bend trying desperately to avoid the man in the road as they crashed into each other. The cars blew up in a fiery display that Tony would probably had appreciated if he wasn’t in imminent danger right this second. The debris from the cars somehow managed to miss the man and Tony couldn’t help but curse in his head. He was in big trouble here.

All that he knew was the man wasn’t even the slightest bit familiar to him. He looked older, worn down by time and age, but his eyes held a vengeful fire. Was this some Hydra assassin or a man with some sort of personal vendetta? Tony really didn’t have any time to contemplate something like this.

~~~~~

Pepper sat up to reach between the front seats. She reached for the briefcase, but couldn’t reach it.

“Give me the case.”

“Here.” Happy said grabbing it and pulling it closer as he tried to keep his eyes on the road. “Take it.”

She pulled it back but noticed that the case was locked. Her voice was a bit frantic as she looked at Happy in the rearview mirror. “Where’s the key?”

“It’s in my pocket.”

“CAR!” She shouted as they had to swerve between racers to avoid hitting them on the narrow track. Steve was just holding on for the ride, keeping his gaze forward for any sign of Tony or his assailant.

The crowds began to panic running away from the smoke and debris. Workers and security began to move around frantically trying to maintain the crowd and put out the fires started by the crashing vehicles. The last thing on their minds was trying to stop the maniac on the track from slowly approaching the overturned vehicle that Stark had been in.

Ivan slammed the whip down where the seat should have been wanting to inflict pain on Stark. When he looked down, the current had only sliced through the metal of the car and Stark was nowhere in sight. The metal plate being hit on the back of his head gave him some clue as to where Stark was. Too bad for the billionaire, he was built of a sturdier stock then most men.

With a quick up swing the panel was knocked out of Stark’s hands, knocking the man back onto the asphalt. With his free hand he brought the other whip down only to see Stark roll out of the way. Ivan had to give Stark some credit as he slid back and rolled away from the swinging weapons. One of the whips nearly made contact, but Stark managed to spread his legs into a ‘v’ in order to escape the strike.

Tony made it to his feet after that. He had to run, to get out of here. Unfortunately the next strike hit the road and the force of the small blast was enough to send him flying into another flipped race car. He fell to the ground with a grunt, feeling the blood trickle out of the cut just below the left eye. Tony knew he had to move...really wanted to move…but he couldn’t. It took him a minute to focus and that’s when he saw it.

The fuel of the car in front of him was leaking from the case. Following the track of the liquid, he caught sight of his attacker in the mirror. Perfect. He could do this.

In a showy display, Ivan began to swing his whips in a circular motion leaving scars along the track. He had a bit of an audience after all. They would know his genius. At the very last second, Stark got up leaping out of the way of his strike. The whips hit the car and the fuel, igniting rubber and metal and setting it ablaze.

Tony scrambled to his feet. The sleeve of his jumpsuit was on fire and he stopped to pat it out before his skin got burnt and that was when the psycho appeared from behind the flames. He stepped back watching the man smirk in triumph.

With a screeching of tires, Happy sped the car around the corner giving Pepper and Steve a good look at the wreckage…the damage this man had left in his wake. Tony stood on the far side of the fire, but they couldn’t see him very well.

“Oh, my God!” Pepper gasped out loud, not sure how much more of this she could take.

“Hang on!” Steve yelled reaching out to grab Pepper around her waist and pulling her back against him when he realized what Happy was about to do. Tony caught on as well as he made a move to climb up and grip the fence. With a burst of speed and the slamming of breaks, the car slammed into the assailant knocking him over the hood and pinning him against the fence. The current in the whips turned off as the man went still.

Tony leapt down, cautiously approaching the man. When he didn’t move, he made his way over to the driver’s side. Hopefully they would have brought his suit. If not, at least this was a way out.

“Are you okay?” Happy was calling out to him.

“Yeah.” Tony responded sounding a bit out of breath. That’s when he heard the heavy breathing and soft panicky sounds coming from the back seat. Pepper was having a panic attack it looked like. Still something else took precedence and he also knew nothing he could do or say would make Pepper stop. “Were you heading for me of him? ‘Cause I can’t tell.”

“I was trying to scare him.” Happy responded trying to defend himself.

“Are you out of your mind?” Pepper screamed glaring out at Tony from the window. Tony moved to look at her. “Get in the car right now!”

“Better security.” Tony yelled back, pointing at the man on the hood. “I was attacked! We need better security. You’re CEO. Better security measures.”

“Get in the car!” Steve urged prompting Tony to walk around the back of the car to climb in next to Pepper. What the four of them failed to notice was the slight movements from Tony’s attacker. Slowly, he pushed off the hood, the mechanics of his machine whirling to life once more.

“God, it’s embarrassing.” Tony yelled. “First vacation in two years.”

He yanked open the door, only to have it sliced in half. Pepper screamed from the back seat as Happy shifted the car into reverse and slamming into the man again.

“Oh my God!” Pepper cried out clinging to Steve’s shirt as he moved his shield over their frames to protect them from anything that might come their way. There was no way to stop the madness occurring around him.

“I got him!” Happy shouted triumphantly as Ivan slumped back against the chain link and metal. Blood dripped from his mouth.

“Hit him again. Hit him again.” Tony cheered, chanting it wanting this day to be over with. He yanked open the half door as Pepper held up his briefcase. He needed that. “Football.”

Unfortunately, Happy was driving the car forward again and the door swung shut. Pepper shrieked again.

“I got him!” Happy repeated as he went to back up once more.

“Take the case! Take it! Take the case!” Pepper was hysterical.

“Give him the case!” Happy agreed.

“We can’t give him the case if you keep doing that Happy!” Steve shouted.

“Stop banging the car.” Pepper yelled screaming when the airbag deployed on Happy effectively bringing the jerking car to a stop.

Steve saw the man raise an arm and he managed to bring his shield up in time to stop the whip from completely cutting the car in half. Instead the whip flung backwards and the man began to swing it above his head like a helicopter blade. Pepper continued to scream as Happy urged her to calm down. The whip came down again and Steve managed to pull Pepper into his lap and out of the way.

“God! God!” Pepper chanted like a prayer.

Once again the whip came down, this time cutting off part of the car at a slant. The occupants managed to duck and dodge as Tony ran around to the side everyone was sitting on.

“Give me the case! Please! Come on!”

Tony clapped trying to snap them to attention. Steve managed to pry it from Pepper’s hands and chuck it out of the car to the ground in front of Tony. Tony caught the case with his foot. Tilting it upward it revealed the gauntlets for his mobile armor. Pushing down before pulling the case against his chest, he allowed the suit to unfold, covering his body.

The remaining fans in the stands who had stayed to watch the spectacle despite the dangers, marveled and began to cheer on the man as his mask slid into place. With a firm kick, he pushed the car, sliding it away from the maniac and his electric toys before turning to face him. Now the playing field was a bit more even.

He brought up a repulse to fire, but in the time it took to charge, the man knocked it away damaging the gauntlet entirely. Tony tried the other side only to have it knocked away too and he also gained scratches to the armor’s belly. Taking a few steps back and out of the man’s reach, he made an attempt to protect the others as he fired.

The man knocked the blast away…once…twice…stumbling back a step from the force. Tony stepped forward as he swung those whips. The first one Tony caught, but the second managed to wrap around his neck. With a firm pull, the man yanked Tony to the street, flipping the man over, though Tony managed to lift upright. Steve threw his shield at the man to try and stop him, but he swung Tony around, knocking the shield into the fence and behind the car. Tony landed on the hood before he was dragged down to his knees. One of the whips was pulled free from his armor while the other sparked against the armor, the current growing in intensity by the sound and the increased sparking. At this rate his head would come clear off.

Tony could hear the shocked cries of all the onlookers. The display of his H.U.D. flickered and he knew what he had to do. Taking the sparking metal in his hand, he wrapped it around the body of the suit propelling himself forward step by step. The man swung the free whip down on the armor, but it wasn’t strong enough to do more than scratch the metal.

When he got close enough, he punched the man in the face before flipping him on his back onto the street. It was enough to stun the man as Tony stepped forward and ripped the power source from the chest piece. The current fizzled out and the man went limp on the pavement.

The crowd began to cheer as the police moved in and took hold of the man’s arms, securing them in their grip. Tony was slightly aware of the movement behind him. Steve was out of the car, pulling a shaky Pepper and Happy out of the wreckage before retrieving his shield from where it had been chucked. The hero of the day knew Steve had everything under control and refused to turn away from the man he’d just defeated.

As the police pulled the man to his feet, he spat blood in Tony’s direction before laughing. His heavily accented English gave away his Russian heritage. “You…you lose. You lose. You lose, Stark.”

He continued to cackle as they literally dragged them away. In the background he heard Steve give Happy directions to escort Pepper back to the hotel before coming to stand next to him as the police dragged the man out of sight. Both looked down at the power source in Tony’s hand.

“Is that…?” Steve started to ask as Tony crushed it in his hand. The H.U.D. already confirmed what he feared.

“Yeah, it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Hope your week wasn't too long and stressful!
> 
> This chapter was super crazy to write and I was trying so hard to find a good way to write the dialogue. It was a bit distracting as I was writing it and I couldn't stop laughing at the car ramming scene, but I think that had to do more with how tired I was. (Isn't everything hilarious when you're too tired.) Anyway, I was actually pleased with this chapter. Something a bit more fun after the hurt from last week. It was a lot of fun to write and I hope you enjoy!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and continue to go on with me through this! Please keep the comments and kudos and constructive criticism coming. They feed the ideas in my brain and motivate me.
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (I am working on the next one guys, it's getting longer and longer.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 4 Posted - 02/26/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	35. Reactions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The events at Monaco have sent things into motion on both sides and everyone must deal with the fall out. 
> 
> (Fair Warning: This chapter is going to hurt!)

Schmidt sipped on his champagne as he looked at the carnage on T.V. He was watching the footage of the ambulances racing down the track and listening to the announcer prattle on about the deaths on the track. Of the drivers attacked, only Stark managed to walk away with his life.

His lips were curled in a half-smirk, half sneer. On the one hand, having Stark alive was becoming more and more of a liability for Hydra and seeing that Schmidt was a man of his word, there was no way to take Stark out in this country. It was bad enough that there was a corpse and drying blood that still needed to be cleaned up. Still, that man…

“Dr. Zola, who is that man?”

“That is Ivan Vanko, the son of Anton Vanko. We have spoken of keeping an eye on him in the past.”

“Ah yes, the son of the man we framed for our good work. It seems he has come here for revenge on the Stark family.”

“It would seem so, sir.”

His gaze turned back to the screen in front of him as several ambulances pulled away. Sitting on the back of one of the remaining service vehicles was Stark, talking the ear off of one of the EMTs. The Captain…he chuckled a bit at the mistake, though it really wasn’t a mistake. The United States government was filled with incompetent idiots if they promoted that foolish, idealistic man who ultimately failed them. Still he would call him a Colonel if that meant acknowledging the joke of the entire thing.

As it was the Colonel was standing in front of Stark…the red, white, and blue shield attached to his back as if to shield them both from harm, as his own arm was wrapped up by another worker. He was chastising Stark and the two appeared to be arguing. The thoughts in Schmidt’s head slowly began to stop turning, his thoughts clearing into a bit more tangible plan once his emotions were stabilizing from his earlier fight and the disappointment of the attempt on Stark’s life.

“We could use a man such as Vanko. He could prove more useful than his father was. After all a vengeful heart can be swayed to do so much to reach an ultimate goal. See what you can find out about where they have taken him and what resources we have available here to succeed in an extraction.”

“The soldier can successfully extract Vanko from prison. I will find out the information to make sure he has the best chances.”

The screen went blank as Zola set off to do his task. There were only so much he could do from the wireless briefcase. He would need to be focused on the mainframe to be able to find out all the information he would need.

Schmidt turned his attention to the man standing behind him. The soldier was staring ahead with a blank stare awaiting his orders. His lips curled into a bit of a smile. Oh what fun would be had if Rogers realized who this man was and what Hydra had done to him. This soldier was their only success, thanks to the experiments that Dr. Zola had done to him in Azzano years ago. In hindsight, the Captain’s rescue of his best friend had been good for the ultimate experiment in the end. The break from the experimentation and the man having the opportunity to recover from his torment helped to make the man more moldable in the long run. Dr. Zola was able to make it work when the Russians informed Hydra of their find. They were paid handsomely for the man and the Intel, even used him for their own goals for a while. That was partially the reason the man was so cold and deadly. Every once in a while the original man would show through with a rebellious glare or a harsh clenching of his jaw, but ultimately the man followed orders without complaint.

“Sir.” Dr. Zola’s voice brought him back from his thoughts. “It appears they have just booked him into an isolation cell, but it is deep in the compound. If we are to keep our word, we should wait out until the man is to be moved. It seems as though the government wishes to execute him for the crimes he committed or possibly send him to the United States for trial since he attacked one of their citizens, but there is nothing concrete in place yet. May I suggest you talking to the government about taking him?”

“No, it will ruin the reputation we have with Monaco and I do not want Stark or the Colonel to know that Vanko is in Hydra custody. They would only prepare for him and either catch or kill him the next time. Best wait until they make a decision. Either way this plays out, they will have to move him and we will take him when we do. We can persuade him that with our resources, he can have his revenge on Stark and we may learn something from him as well. After all, Anton Vanko worked with Howard Stark on the arc reactor. Perhaps he taught his son how to make it.”

“But sir, we have no need for that kind of reactor, not with the power of the Tesseract in our possession.”

“No, but we can use the information against Stark and his company. We shall finally bury that family once and for all and send S.H.I.E.L.D. scrambling.”

“Of course sir. I will see to it that preparations are made and that we extend our stay here.”

Schmidt did not respond. Instead he stepped to the railing of the balcony to see the smoke still rising from the track. Finally plans were being set in motion that could lead to that final confrontation with Steve Rogers. He had underestimated the Colonel today. It wouldn’t happen again.

~~~~~

Once he had been checked out by medical staff, been chewed out by his godfather about being stupid and reckless and out in the open without telling anyone, and made sure that both Happy and Natalie were seeing to Pepper’s every wish and whim, and by that it meant finding the quickest way for them to get out of this place, Tony was finally allowed to go and visit the man who had attacked him. Steve was following close behind him, refusing to let Tony out of his sight until they were back on the plane heading home. There was no way Tony was going to be able to go in there by himself no matter how chained up his assailant might be and his luck was doubly cursed knowing Steve had a better understanding of French than he, as well as a full knowledge of Russian, should that be necessary.

“Monsieur Stark, we ran his print. We got nothing back, not even a name,” one of the officers explained to him in French.

“Where are we going?” Tony said, using his passable knowledge of the language to communicate, glancing at Steve for the possible telling sign that he got it wrong.

“Over there.” The man responded pointing. “We’re not even sure he speaks English. He hasn’t said a word since he got here.”

“Cinq minutes.” All he wanted was a chance to talk to this guy, to find out something, or at the very least taunt him.

The man allowed it. He asked if Tony wanted anyone else to come in and Tony insisted on just having Steve with him. The warden agreed to that, but told him that five minutes was all that he could give the man. Tony thanked him before heading in, Steve close behind him assuring the men that no harm would come to their prisoner. He was in custody, there wasn’t any need to hurt him further.

The door shutting behind them sounded very final. The man who had attacked Tony had been stripped of everything but his underwear. His back faced the door, held straight as he stared at the wall in front of him. His arms sat in his lap, no doubt shackled together and to the bench where he sat. Tattoos and scars marred his dark skin from top to bottom.

Tony hadn’t had a chance to really see the man before, scrambling for his life. The man looked as though he was a little bit older than Tony, but not by much. Tony shoved his hands in his pocket casually approaching. Steve remained by the door, unmoving and silent. If this man was going to say anything, it would be to Tony and only if he thought they were alone.

“Pretty decent tech. Cycles per second were a little low.” Tony had been able to see the hardware he used when they arrived. The police didn’t know what to make of it, but Tony was able to tell them exactly what the man had created even if they couldn’t understand it. He circled to the front of the man to see his face before walking back behind the man, slowly getting closer. “You could have doubled up your rotations. You focused the repulsor energy through ionized plasma channels. It’s effective. Not very efficient. But it’s a passable knock-off.”

Tony sat down on the bench facing Steve. He brought his hands together nervously. “I don’t get it. A little fine tuning, you could have made a solid paycheck. You could have sold it to North Korea, China, Iran, or gone right to the black market.”

The man turned back to look at him, a ghost of a smirk on his face. There was something Tony was missing, something he wouldn’t be able to figure out until this man gave him a clue. When the man didn’t say a word he just continued to prattle on.

“You look like you got friends in low places.”

“You come from a family of thieves and butchers. And now, like all guilty men, you try to rewrite your own history. And you forget all the lives the Stark family has destroyed.” The man spoke slowly, his English still heavily accented by his Russian heritage.

“Speaking of thieves, where did you get this design?” This was Stark Tech. No one else should have it. Hell, Tony didn’t even have it. It was in a S.H.I.E.L.D. vault locked away somewhere. Maybe Obie had screwed him over again, but Tony couldn’t think of how he would have done it. Now that this guy was chatty, maybe he’d clear it up.

“My father. Anton Vanko.” The man spoke his father’s name reverently, but filled with pride. Steve could see the sadness on his face even from his distance.

“Well, I never heard of him.”

“My father is the reason you’re alive.”

“The reason I’m alive is ‘cause you had a shot, you took it, you missed.”

“Did I?” The man seemed unfazed by Tony’s dismissive, flippant words. “If you can make God bleed, the people will cease to believe in him. And there will be blood in the water. And the sharks will come. The truth, all I have to do is sit here and watch as the world will consume you.”

Tony seemed unconcerned by his words. “Where will you be watching the world consume me from? That’s right. A prison cell. I’ll send you a bar of soap.”

Tony moved to stand. Ivan thought about it in his head. If he ever got out of here, he would take Tony’s words to heart about his tech. After all, the man had been working longer and with better resources than him. He would find a way to improve his technology. It was time to return the favor and taunt the man as Stark taunted him. At least give him a glimpse of what was to come.

“Hey, Tony. Before you go, palladium in the chest, painful way to die.”

Tony froze for a moment risking a glance back. He refused to look at Steve knowing that the man had the intelligence to figure that one out. It wasn’t the place to discuss this though. They needed to get out of here and their five minutes were up. Tony knocked on the door. The guards and the warden were waiting for the two men. Tony and Steve pushed past them without a word before heading down the hall the way they came. Once they were alone, Tony was caught off guard as Steve slammed him against the wall lifting him up so he couldn’t get away.

“What did he mean Tony?”

“I don’t know. The guy’s insane, belongs in the prison loony bin.”

“I know what I heard, know what he said.” He poked at the reactor. “This thing is killing you.”

“No, NO!” Tony was adamant as his big brain spun an elaborate, believable lie. “I’ve been working on it. It…what I’m working on…it’s almost complete. I just need a few more hours. I’m fine, I found a way to keep the poisoning from happening and J.A.R.V.I.S. has been monitoring me. Once we get back, I’m gonna finish and then everything will be okay.”

The tension Steve felt slowly began to alleviate and Tony found himself back on the ground after a few moments of silent breathing. Normally he would joke, but he knew when Steve was in this state, there wasn’t anything that could be done to make him stop. Steve still hadn’t let go of his shirt, in fact there was a good chance that the creases his fingers made wouldn’t be coming out any time soon.

“I can’t do it again Tony. I can’t lose anyone else.” The man’s voice was shaky. “I promised your father before he died that if anything ever happened to him that I would look after you. This was the second time you could have been killed and I might have been able to do something about it. This can’t keep happening. You’re reckless and one day it will kill you. I don’t want to get that call any time soon.”

“You won’t. I’m going to live a long time. Hey, I may even do what my dad did and get married later in life, have a few kids, you know, just to pass on the legacy. You and Pepper can raise them because I don’t really do kids.”

That got Steve to laugh a little bit. Tony relaxed a bit more and the last little bit of tension left Steve. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

“So, I’ve been told.” Tony paused. “Come on, let’s…let’s go find Pepper and the gang. I’ve got a lot of groveling to do and maybe we can get you a real vacation.”

“She’s going to insist that we have to go back home after this. Besides, I’m beginning to think that vacations are over-rated and more stressful than work itself.”

Tony chuckled trying to keep his mask in place. “You might be right. At least tell me you’ll take the bedroom suite in the back of the plane and try and get some rest.”

Steve thought about it for a moment. “Yeah, I think I’ll take your offer on that for once.”

~~~~~

Steve did take Tony up on his offer. Once everything was settled and they were back on the plane, Steve went to the back of the plane where the bed was. It was a little grand considering the size of the plane, but at this point Steve wasn’t going to complain. He secured his bag in the closet before flopping on the bed.

His head was pounding with a headache and there were dull throbs in his muscles. While today wasn’t the worst in his long life, it ranked up there. Between Schmidt, Tony, and the son of Anton Vanko…he didn’t know which would give him a heart attack first.

He should have seen Schmidt coming. The man wouldn’t have passed up an opportunity to taunt him and remind Steve of his failure. With them coming into Hydra watched territory, it was inevitable that they would clash again. At least he was able to get one good punch in. There was just something about fist to flesh that was so satisfying and Steve knew the man would probably felt the sting for hours if not a day or two. Steve would know since his fist ached from the strike.

The soldier was unexpected and there was something about him that pulled on his mind. There was something…he didn’t know…something almost familiar about the man and that made his stomach twist into knots. It was impossible though. Steve would remember an assassin with a metal arm and a blank stare. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he couldn’t deny that the expression on the half covered face…it was the eyes. The man’s eyes haunted him a bit though there was no rational reason behind it. Regardless of his thoughts or opinions on the man, once he got back to HQ, he was going to look up everything S.H.I.E.L.D. had on the Winter Soldier. They would clash and Steve would be ready when they did.

Steve rubbed at his temples to try and relieve the ache. As if his troubles with Hydra weren’t enough, there was Tony’s reckless actions at the Grand Prix that left him open to being attacked. Steve had a vague memory of Anton Vanko, not enough to remember whether or not he had a son, but enough to remember the scandal that sent the man back to his native Russia.

Vanko had been a scientist and had shared many passions for science with Howard Stark. They had worked together for a few years before Steve and Peggy had come across S.H.I.E.L.D. Intel being sold on the black market, bought by the Soviets, and eventually falling into Hydra’s hands. Howard had been furious, scrambling to find the culprit. At the end of the paper trail had been Vanko. The man was charged with treason and only due to the lingering bit of friendship he had with Howard had saved him from spending the rest of his life in a prison cell. Instead he had been deported and never heard from again. At least, not until now when an obviously vengeful man had admitted to being Vanko’s son. It was entirely possible that Vanko would have a child and if the man blamed the Stark family for his father being deported, the revenge made sense. At least the man was behind bars now. It was one less thing for Steve to worry about.

And last on Steve’s worry list was his sporadically wayward family member. Tony was proving to be more and more reckless every day. Steve was having issues trying to figure out the best way to handle Tony going off and putting himself in dangerous situations. Ideally, it would be amazing if he could just put Tony under house arrest for a while. Maybe he would destroy the main Iron Man suit so that Tony would have to spend time on building another one. He sighed and closed his eyes. It would never happen, but he could dream a little bit.

The fact that Tony was being poisoned by the reactor may be the main reason the man was being extra reckless. Though Tony had assured him that he was fine and had a solution for the problem, Steve couldn’t help feeling that the man was lying to him, or at the very least, not telling him the entire truth. Pepper’s out of the blue promotion had been nagging at him and Steve couldn’t help thinking that the whole thing was part of some sort of contingency plan Tony was putting into place.

He shook his head before taking a few calming breaths. He’d lost his cool in the hallway of the prison when he had gone off at Tony. His anger hadn’t been in check and he was just so damn tired so when he heard the news that Tony had been keeping secret from everyone all along…all he could do was picture the faces of the people he cared about that had passed on. His Commandos…Howard…hell even Peggy though she was still with them for now…the last image had been of Bucky falling and that was when he had slammed Tony against the wall.

He’d had enough of secrets and lies for a lifetime and he damn well deserved honesty from the only man alive that he could consider family. Steve had meant what he said too…about being unable to lose anyone else when he had the power to stop it all. It made him so sick to think about after everything and everyone he’d lost. This though…this was science based and out of his control and he hated it. Some of their resources had been limited by Hydra, but not all and if anyone could find a way out, it would be Tony. Maybe Steve just needed a little more faith in his godson or maybe he was overthinking it all after being so damn tired.

There was nothing for him to do now. Tony’s held his life in his own hands. Steve just needed to keep telling himself that Tony would succeed. He needed to stay positive and supportive. After all, Tony’s birthday was in a few days. The last thing Tony would want is for Steve and his worries to rain on his birthday. Maybe he just needed some sleep and things would be better when he woke up. For the first time in hours, Steve allow himself to smile a bit. He was looking forward to seeing if Tony somehow managed to get back into Pepper’s good graces. That would have to come later…after he got some sleep.

~~~~~

The atmosphere in the front part of the plane was tense. Tony had disappeared into the area where the flight attendants usually prepared their food and kept their supplies a few minutes after Steve had mentioned going to lay down. Pepper was still fuming from the day’s events and was carefully monitoring the news for any word on how the events at Monaco were going to affect her company. Sure enough, Senator Stern had jumped right into an interview on the national news network and was talking the ears off of anyone who would listen to him. The caption under him read ‘Stark should hand over suit!’

“It’s just unbelievable. It proves that the genie is out of the bottle and this man has no idea what he’s doing. He thinks of the Iron Man weapon as a toy. I was at a hearing where Mr. Stark, in fact, was adamant that these suits can’t exist anywhere else, don’t exist anywhere else, never will exist anywhere else, at least for five to ten years, and here we are in Monaco realizing, uh-oh, these suit exist now.”

The Senator prattled on to the reporter, completely tarnishing the Stark name. It was nothing new, but Pepper had to keep taking calming breaths to keep her emotions from overwhelming her. She should have seen this coming. The longer she stayed by Tony’s side, the more danger she would be in. It was only a matter of time before she got seriously hurt or worse. Now that she had the keys to the kingdom though, she couldn’t just walk away. She cared too much for Tony.

“Mute.” Tony commanded startling her a bit, but knowing it was only him helped her to keep calm. Tony stepped into the compartment taking a seat across from Pepper and placing a covered dish on the table between them. “He should be giving me a medal. That’s the truth.”

“What is that?”

“This is your in-flight meal.” He lifted the lid to reveal an omelet. It was the best he could do under the circumstances.

“Did you just make that?”

“Yeah. Where do you think I’ve been for three hours?” He leaned back in his seat a bit. It was obvious he was frustrated about something, but he was unwilling to talk about it.

“Tony,” Pepper began softly, “What are you not telling me?”

He turned and looked her directly in her eyes. Her expression softened a bit, leaving her open to listen to him. She knew something was going on and that Tony was acting stranger than usual, but she didn’t know what was wrong with him…and there was something wrong with him.

“I don’t want to go home. At all.” He admitted to her. He knew it wasn’t the truth she was looking for, but he meant it. Now that he was facing his death, he wanted to go somewhere quiet and spend the little bit of time he had left with her…and maybe Steve. “Let’s cancel my birthday party and…We’re in Europe. Let’s go to Venice, Cipriani. Those are safe. Remember?”

She huffed a bit at his suggestion though she smiled at the memory of the last time they were in Venice. “Oh, yes.”

“It’s a great place to be healthy.”

“I don’t think this is the right time. We’re in kind of a mess.” Right now their reputation was on the line. The company needed her to get to work on everything Tony had been neglecting lately and Tony had things he needed to do back home to make this right.

“Yeah, but maybe that’s why it’s the best time. ‘Cause then we…”

“Well, I think as the CEO, I need to show up.” Pepper stopped him. She knew how this worked. He was good at persuading her to do stuff. This was one of those times she needed to stand her ground.

“As CEO, you are entitled to a leave.”

“A leave?”

“A company retreat.” Tony recovered.

“A retreat? During a time like this?” Tony was digging himself into a deeper hole with her and he was already in way over his head.

“Just a ride.” He prompted trying so hard to get her to go along with his plan. “Well, I’m just saying, to recharge our batteries and figure it all out.”

“Not everyone runs on batteries, Tony.”

He looked up at her and tried to manage a smile, but he couldn’t. For once in his life, he saw the brilliant woman sitting in front of him…smiling at him even after everything he had done lately and in his past…and he knew she was right. There wasn’t any way he could argue with her anymore. It was time for him to face everything that was coming. It didn’t matter where they went as long as he got to spend it with her. Managing a weak smile, he nodded, giving in to her desires for once before turning to look out the window at the sunset in the clouds. He pressed his hand against the cool window of the plane and couldn’t help thinking about everything that had been going on lately…and wondering just how many more sunsets he had left to see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This almost wasn't going to get up today. I went on a day trip and got back kinda late, but I knew I'd suck at least a little bit if I didn't post it, so although it's a bit late for me, I'm still getting it up on Sunday.
> 
> I'm not sure why I've been writing so many 'feels' over the last few weeks, but I know this one hurt. Even my betas response to this one was, "Overall Ow.' It will get better though, I have some fun plans when it comes to the climax.
> 
> There won't be a preview on Tumblr tonight. I haven't been able to write a lot last week once Wednesday hit, so I've got nothing new, but I'm hoping to get some work written tomorrow and possibly Wednesday, so here's hoping for a new chapter on Sunday.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy and thank you for sticking with me so far. As always, feel free to ask me any questions or leave constructive criticism. It really does help to motivate me into getting words on the page and let me know what I'm doing right and doing wrong. I hope you all enjoy and keep a look out for what's to come!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (I am working on the next one guys, it's getting longer and longer.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 4 Posted - 02/26/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	36. Hammer Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ivan Vanko strikes a deal with a moron. Meanwhile, Tony and crew are trying to deal with the fallout at Monaco, while on the other side, Schmidt is angry and plotting something gruesome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sorry for the title of this chapter! I had to do it. In fact, my muse screamed at me to do it, so it was completely unavoidable. My extended absence is explained at the end of the chapter. Hope you enjoy and that it was worth the wait!

Ivan sat on the bed in his prison cell. The room was small with a sink, a bed, and a toilet. The accommodations were slightly better than what he had in Russia, though he could use a bit more room to stretch. Although he was disappointed that he had been unable to kill Stark, at least the man had sealed his own fate. He would never figure out a way to save himself in time and he would laugh when he got word of Stark’s death.

He knew that getting caught was a possible outcome to his plans. This was what he deserved for being so single minded, but he would accept his fate. There was nothing for him to go home to after all. The only thing he would truly mourn was being unable to drink anymore…and maybe being without something to tinker with. He would just have to find another way to occupy his time.

Right now he was sitting on the lump of a bed leaning towards the wall as he absentmindedly rubbed his hands over the smooth metal of the sink. He half wondered how far he would get dismantling the box from the wall before he was forced to stop.

The clatter of his food tray in the slot dragged him from his musing. The guard glared at him as he balanced the tray before walking away. Once the guard was out of sight, Ivan stood and fetched the unimpressive meal. He picked up the cup to study the contents, immediately noticing the piece of paper underneath. Turning away from the door he carried the tray over to the bed, the contents forgotten in favor of reading the note. Double checking to make sure he wasn’t being watched, he opened the carefully folded paper. There, written in a messy script, was a message in his native language.

_Enjoy the potatoes._

Ivan crumpled the note. The last thing he needed was for it to be discovered. Picking up the lump that passed for mashed potatoes, flipping it over to see the timer there. He had to wonder if this was a joke, but when the guard opened the door, pushing another prisoner in this cell meant for one, things began to look a bit interesting.

Ivan sized up the man when the door shut and the lock clicked back into place. Above the pocket on the man’s jumpsuit was a familiar number. Ivan looked down. It was the same number as was on his own jumpsuit. Ivan smirked.

With a quick strike to the face, he grabbed the man by the back of his head, slamming his head down on the ugly sink. The sound of the metal on metal caused him to turn and see a key sitting where his food tray once sat. Moving quickly to set the timer, he grabbed the key and unlocked his cell. It looked as though he was going to possibly just stroll out of here.

He passed by a different guard who shouted at him once he realized that Ivan was wearing prisoner garb. The man made a move to grab Ivan’s shoulder, but the Russian shrugged him off, striking the guard before snapping the man’s neck around. The guard dropped like a rock and Ivan continued to walk down the corridor before the bomb went off, illuminating the hallway with fire momentarily before the scent of smoke and the blaring of the alarm filled Ivan’s senses.

He slipped out a door to the stairs and began to descend them until he came to a gate. The guards were in the process of locking it, but they hadn’t noticed him yet. There had to be another way out. Turning to go up the stairs before he was noticed, the guard that had helped him came rushing down with another guard. They grabbed him, putting a white hood over his head before forcing him back down the stairs. He was blind, but he knew when they walked through the doors to the outside world and thrown inside of a vehicle. The ride was bumpy and uncomfortable, but he’d dealt with worse. If this was his way to freedom and a second chance at Stark, he would deal with being uncomfortable for a little while.

He was pulled up to sit on a seat and stayed quiet for the entire ride. It wasn’t a particularly long ride, but long enough that when the hood was finally pulled off of his head, he was blinded by the bright lights. When his eyes could focus he was greeted with a strange sight. It was obviously an airplane hangar complete with a small private jet inside. A man sat at a table positioned close to the plane. Several men in suits stood off to the side ready and waiting to serve.

The guard from the prison grabbed his arm and led him out of van and towards the seated man. Even at the distance they were apart, Ivan could see the man had a bright smile on his face and was practically bouncing with excitement as they approached.

“Hey, there he is. There…he…is.” The man started off with, rising to his feet, his arms held open in a non-threatening way. “What an absolute pleasure. Welcome.”

Ivan didn’t know what to make of the well-dressed man. He looked foolish with the napkin hanging at an odd angle from his shirt collar. A look of puzzlement crossed the man’s face as he gestured towards Ivan.

“Oh, goodness gracious. Can we get the handcuffs off my friend here?” The guard moved to do as he was asked and the other man prattled on. “Forgive me. I’m sorry. I’m such a huge fan of yours. I didn’t want to make a first impression like this. He’s not an animal. Come on. He’s a human being. Thank you.”

Ivan wasn’t impressed as the guard fumbled with the keys. The man in front of him was starting to annoy him, but he must have been the one that orchestrated his release from jail. At the very least, Ivan would hear the man out. With the way he was dressed, he may even have the resources needed to take out Stark. He watched as the man and the guards fussed over him for a moment before the man shooed the guards away. They left leaving the two men alone at the table.

“My name is Justin Hammer.” The man said holding out his hand for a hand shake. Ivan took his hand and shook it. “I’d like to do some business with you. Please sit.”

Ivan took a seat across from Hammer. The table was a bit fancy and even girly for his tastes with the flowers and the white table cloth and the wine goblets that Ivan had only seen in movies.

“Dig in.” Hammer continued to talk. “What do we have today, Jack?”

One of the men who had been waiting off to the side approached with a plate in hand. He set the covered dish down in front of Ivan removing the lid.

“We have some salmon carpaccio.”

“Salmon carpaccio.” Hammer hummed in approval. “Anything you want here, we got it. I like my dessert first. I had this flown in from San Francisco. It’s Italian, though. Organic ice cream. I got a sweet tooth.”

Ivan was a bit uncomfortable with the movement of the servants and there was also the fact that Hammer wouldn’t or couldn’t shut up. Maybe he would dumb himself down and take advantage of the man. His current distraction was a man dropping a napkin into his lap and another grabbing one of the glasses from his other side.

“Apparently you do, too, for Tony Stark. What I saw you do to Tony Stark on that track, how you stepped up to him in front of God and everybody, that was…Wow! You spoke to me with what you did. And I know that you knew that I’d be listening.”

Ivan was listening to Hammer now. Despite the distractions, once Stark’s name was mentioned, they were on the same page. Ivan leaned closer, resting both forearms on the table.

“This is why I couldn’t bear to have you shipped off to God knows where. It would have been such a waste of talent. But if I might make a suggestion, you know you don’t just go and try and kill the guy. I think, if I may, you go after his legacy. That’s what you kill.”

Ivan frowned. Although he agreed with what Hammer was saying, he couldn’t help feeling a little insulted. Besides, with Stark, if you killed the man you killed the legacy along with him. He kept his mouth shut though, still trying to figure out if the man was a fool.

“You and me, we are a lot alike in a lot of ways. The only difference between you and I is that I have resources. I think, if I may, you need my resources. Someone behind you, a benefactor. I’d like to be that guy.”

That was true, but it showed the arrogance of the man in front of him. While it was wonderful to have resources, without the mind to create, it made the tools and the materials useless. Although Ivan needed the better resources, he could see that Hammer needed him even more. Ivan laughed and began to talk to the man in Russian, just to annoy Hammer as much as Hammer annoyed him. Hammer managed to keep a straight face though it was obvious he didn’t understand a word Ivan said.

“Okay. Do you speak English? Because I can get a translator. I don’t know. Have you been understanding everything I’m saying?”

“Very good, man.” Ivan teased.

“Very good, man.” Hammer repeated sounding a bit excited.

“Very good, man.” Ivan laughed followed by Hammer.

“Hey!” Hammer exclaimed holding up his water glass. Ivan grabbed the bottle of liquor from off to the side and the men toasted each other.

“Hey.” Ivan pause to reach across the table to get Hammer’s attention.

“Yes?”

“I want my bird.”

It was an impossible request. Ivan had released it to fend for itself knowing there was a chance that he could get caught or killed when he confronted Stark. If anything it would annoy the younger man and it would be a good way for Ivan to be able to tell if Hammer was the kind of man who would go to any lengths to accomplish his goals.

“A bird? You want a bird?” Hammer was confused.

“I want my bird.” Ivan said again, insisting on it.

“I can get you a bird. I can get you ten birds.” Hammer responded trying to seal a deal.

“I want MY bird!” Ivan made it clear.

“Well, okay. Nothing’s impossible. I could…Are we talking about…Is this a bird back in Russia?”

Ivan smirked. He was just beginning to have a little bit of fun.

~~~~~

Since the moment they had landed back in Malibu, Pepper had practically had the phone glued to her ear as she tried to undo some of the damage the company had sustained from the events with Malibu. Once again, Tony’s recklessness had cost them some of the good reputation they had obtained when they started going in a different direction from being a company that manufactured weapons. Pepper knew that things went bad before they got better, but it was a lot of work to fix a problem rather than to maintain something that proved to work.

“Yes, but the fundamentals of the company are still very, very strong despite the events in Monaco.”

She came into the room and sat next to Natalie who was also on the phone with a laptop in her lap. Glancing around, she could see Steve was also on the phone and had been on the phone for about the same length of time as she had. Once they had landed, the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. had called to give him an earful about the events in Monaco and wanted debriefed since it could, and probably would, pose a threat to national security.

“Yes, of course.” Natalie said turning to Pepper. “The AP wants a quote…”

“Don’t tell him. Fax them…” Pepper spoke softly as she listened to the person on the other end of her line.

Rhodey came around the corner taking one look at the cell phone wielding brigade and nodded his due to Steve. “Where is he?”

“He doesn’t want to be disturbed.” Natalie spoke up.

“He’s downstairs.” Steve and Pepper said as the same time as Steve hung up his phone call. He was quick to dial another number and Rhodey heard him address Coulson as he watched the news anchor on TV question whether or not Tony could protect them with his erratic behavior. The other image on the screen was a picture of the man who attacked Tony.

“Iron Man never stopped protecting us. The events in Monaco proved that.” Pepper said and Rhodey couldn’t listen to any more of this crap. He turned and began to descend the stairs to find the man he considered a friend. In a roundabout way, he had come to warn Tony that the military was coming and that he was in trouble if he kept doing stuff like this. A part of him, the part that screamed at him that he joined the military to protect and serve his nation, wanted the military to take away the suits and give them to someone who was more responsible and could follow order. Another part of him, the one that knew the true Tony Stark, didn’t want that to happen at the expense of his friend. This was a big mess and Tony was the only one who could make it right again.

~~~~~

_Query complete, sir. Anton Vanko, Soviet physicist who defected to the United States in 1963. However, he was accused of espionage and was deported in 1967. His son, Ivan, who is also a physicist, was convicted of selling Soviet-era weapons-grade plutonium to Pakistan, and served 15 years in Kopeisk prison. No further records exist._

As J.A.R.V.I.S. spoke, Tony had his eyes on the electronic newspaper article of Ivan Vanko’s death trying to escape. They say he died in a bomb blast, but Tony wasn’t quite sure if that was true or not. The man could have died…or it was a Hydra cover up…the latter being the most likely scenario. If Vanko was willing to sell plutonium to be weaponized in Pakistan, he could be persuaded to join Hydra’s cause for a price. That price was most likely Tony’s head and that was if he lived long enough for Vanko to take it. For now, the world believed the man to be dead, so until he popped up again, there weren’t any leads, so it was going to become a waiting game.

The sound of the pin pad being hit next to the lab door gave him warning he was going to have a visitor. He should have known Rhodey was going to come here after all the mess. Tony had hoped that Natalie would just keep everyone away right now. As it was, he was feeling more rundown and ill from the effects of the poisoning. That was the last thing Tony wanted anyone to see.

“Tony, you gotta get upstairs and get on top of this situation right now. Listen. I’ve been on the phone with the National Guard all day, trying to talk them out of rolling tanks up the PCH, knocking down your front door and taking these. They’re gonna take your suits, Tony, okay?”

If Tony could smirk, he would. If anyone came for his suits, all he would have to do is give J.A.R.V.I.S. the command and they would all self-destruct within a matter of seconds, or instantly if there wasn’t anyone around to get hurt in the explosion.

“They’re sick of the games. You said nobody else would possess this technology for 20 years. Well guess what? Somebody else had it yesterday. It’s not theoretical anymore. Are you listening to me?”

He reached out to touch Tony’s shoulder. The man hadn’t moved a muscle or said a word to him since he entered and it was beginning to worry him. Tony was normally bantering with quick witted comments, deflecting the situation with humor even if his mind was racing for a serious answer to a problem. The fact that Tony had nothing for him was strange and the look on his face when he glanced up to acknowledge Rhodey made that feeling so much worse than what it was.

Bumps and bruises aside, Tony’s eyes were glassy. His face was pale and strained with lines. He looked worse than he did when he came home from the deserts of Afghanistan. Rhodey had to put aside his concerns with the military for at least a few minutes and be a friend to his pain in the ass buddy.

“Are you okay?”

Tony plastered the fakest looking smile on his face. He tried to sound lighthearted when he spoke, but it just came out even and sad. “Let’s go.”

He slid over, sliding out the side opposite where Rhodey stood. He managed to get both feet on the ground, but his knees gave out right after he shut the door. Rhodey hurried around the back of the car, going to the stumbling man.

“Hey, man. Hey, Hey! You all right?” He said, helping Tony get back on his feet. Rhodey could feel the trembling of the man’s muscles and moved to help Tony lean on him.

“Yeah, I should get to my desk.” They hobbled over. “See that cigar box?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s palladium.” Rhodey helped Tony into his desk chair, going over to open the box. Inside was a row of metal disks. He couldn’t help wondering what they were for, but he had a feeling he was about to get his answer. When he turned back around, Tony had his reactor out of its chest plate. Out popped a similar little chip, except this one was black and burned, smoking as a result.

“Is that supposed to be smoking?”

“If you must know, it’s neutron damage. It’s from the reactor wall.” Tony admitted. Steve already knew something was going on. It was only a matter of time before Rhodey found out so he might as well be honest about the whole thing.

Rhodey reached for the chip, pulling it out. If he thought the top was bad, he got a better look at the piece inside the reactor. It was rust colored and it looked like a cross between dog-chewed and melted from magma. “You had this in your body?”

Tony turned away. He knew a rhetorical question when he heard one. Unfortunately, turning gave Rhodey an up close look at his neck.

“And how about the high-tech crossword puzzle on your neck?”

“Road rash.” Tony lied. Rhodey didn’t need to know about the poisoning. Not yet anyway. Rhodey nodded, seeming to at least act like he accepted the answer. The Lt. Colonel handed Tony his reactor back and Tony put it back into its port. “Thank you.”

Rhodey watched as Tony fiddled with the reactor, putting it back into place. Once it went back in, lighting up once more, Tony’s face slowly regained a little bit of color, but not much. There was something very wrong and Tony was obviously very sick. Rhodey didn’t know everything, but from what he had just seen, he suspected the reactor was the cause of it all.

He had other theories too. Tony worked too hard on this ever since he had returned from his ordeal two years ago. The genius worked alone now, not just on the suits, but on saving people. He reveled in it though it was obvious he was in it more for the glory and the way it made him feel. Not once had he reached out and asked for help. He had people he could trust and rely on, and not just Rhodey. Tony had Steve and Pepper and that new assistant of his, though she may be too new to trust quite yet. There had to be something better than this though. The stress was eating at the man and contributed to how he was looking now and Monaco had only made it worse.

Tony reached over to grab his bottle of green goop. He managed to get it open before glancing back at his friend. “What are you looking at?”

“I’m looking at you.” Rhodey said as if it should have been obvious. Tony ignored him, taking a sip of his drink. “You wanna do this whole lone gunslinger act and it’s unnecessary. You don’t have to do this alone.”

“You know, I wish I could believe that. I really do. But you’ve gotta trust me. Contrary to popular belief, I know exactly what I’m doing.”

Rhodey looked at him skeptically. He really didn’t have any choice at the moment. This was it though. This was Tony’s last chance to do right. If not, well Rhodey didn’t know what he’d do yet, probably wouldn’t until it hit him. All he knew was that if Tony screwed up again, Rhodey wasn’t going to keep the government and the military at bay. By that point he doubted if he could, but his own reputation was on the line. If Tony dragged him through the mud, Rhodey would have to take his friend with him.

~~~~~

Normally Hammer would have had a big party, something to celebrate the arrival of his new secret weapon that would get his contract back with the government and upstage Tony Stark, but considering the world thought Ivan Vanko was dead and those who wouldn’t believe it were powerful enough to bury him six feet under, he had to keep it quiet. There wasn’t enough hush money in the world that would keep someone from blabbing to Stark, or God forbid, a Hydra general, or Schmidt himself. Hydra had more pull than he ever would and he was already playing a dangerous game.

He had to settle on a carefully guided tour of his facility. The only way to keep this under wraps was to hire a pair of bodyguards and convert a room at his factory where he would be spending most of his time. It was better that way, though he gave the man a five star treatment, including transport via limo.

“This is where we do it. This is my humble abode.” Hammer said when they walked into the general area where Vanko would be working. “You can work in absolute peace. Must be kinda fun to be dead, right? No pressure.”

Vanko had seen the paper that morning at breakfast. He had a curious half-smirk on his face. There were advantages to being dead. It meant no one was looking or if they did, they wouldn’t get very far as most average people would blow them off.

“Here they are. I’m very excited. They’re combat-ready. I may have done a few miscalculations and rushed the prototype into production. Sue me, I’m enthusiastic. Go ahead, take a look around.”

Ivan was good at keeping a straight face. He’d learned it from his time in prison. If this pompous windbag thought he was going to order him around like his employees, the man was in for a rude awakening when Ivan didn’t need him anymore. Ivan had plans of destroying Hammer after he killed Stark. Still, he was curious about these suits. There had to be something he could work with.

Ivan stepped up to the computer, sliding on his glasses so he could read. His hands typed steadily on the keyboard. Let this be the first step in earning Hammer’s respect.

“You don’t wanna do that.” The man said at the sound of the typing keys. “You’ll be able to access that as soon as we generate some encrypted pass codes. Can we generate some encrypted pass codes? Get some of those encrypted pass codes, Jack.”

Ivan ignored him. He didn’t need pass codes. After all these years, he had his own tricks. With a system like this, it was a miracle someone else hadn’t hacked Hammer’s system a long time ago. Then again, most people probably didn’t see the man as much of a threat. After all, Ivan considered him a moron unworthy of the air he breathed. In a matter of moments, he was in and Hammer gaped at him.

“Never mind, I…Wow. Okay. Good stuff.”

Ivan muttered something in Russian. He was disappointed, but he shouldn’t have been surprised.

“Sorry?”

“Software shit.” Ivan translated.

“Uh-huh. Well...” Hammer laughed. “You’re good. You really blasted in past the firewall there. Uh, let me show you where you’re gonna be working primarily.”

Ivan paid him little attention as he grabbed a high rolling set of steps and pushed it to one of the suits. He began to climb up to get a better look at the tech he would be dealing with. It was probably shit like the software, but it was something he could work with and improve to his satisfaction.

“Go ahead, take a look.” Hammer said when he realized Ivan’s intent. “Get a good look at that. That’s something isn’t it? You know, those are really just for show and tell. They’re $125.7 million a pop, so…”

Ivan leaned in and popped off the head of one. He didn’t care how much they cost if he could rip a head off. He was right. They were shit.

“Wait! Oh, gosh. Uh.” Hammer fumbled at the sight and sound of one of his babies being destroyed in an instant. He turned to his security and whispered. “Jesus Christ. Get somebody up here.”

Ivan could still hear him, but was busy examining the wiring and mechanics in the helmet. It was nothing like what Stark had, but he would make do.

“That’s where the pilot goes. I’m having a tough time finding volunteers.”

Ivan rolled his eyes. Did this man ever shut up? His problem was that Americans were weak creatures who weren’t going to martyr themselves for the sake of this war they would never win. Ivan supposed that it was a smart way to think, but cowardly. He didn’t need soft squishy people to get the job done though, no, he had other plans for these metal monstrosities. He put the helmet back on top, securing it in place and patting it on the head in a mocking gesture to get it to stay there.

“I’ll take care of that, just leave it.” Hammer waved his hand trying to gesture Ivan down.

“What you want them do?” Ivan asked. He needed to know what this man expected of him, so he could make a believable story.

“Well, long term, I want them to put me in the Pentagon for the next 25 year. I want to make Iron Man look like an antique. I wanna go to that Stark Expo, I wanna take a dump in Tony’s front yard. You know what I’m talking about?”

He mostly did. At least now they were speaking some of the same language. To make Stark suffer…that was the only reason Ivan was here working with this idiot. He laughed.

“I can do that. No problem.”

“Yeah? Hey, fabulous! I love it. Hey, this is our guy. Didn’t I tell you? I had a feeling.”

Hammer was excited and that was good for Ivan. It was going to be too easy to manipulate the man until his plan was ready. Now it was a matter of getting started and figuring out the best way to get this done. He already had a few ideas, but once he cemented them, Stark would pay. The battle of Monaco was over with Stark taking the first victory, but this was a war well fought and next time…next time Ivan was going to crush him.

~~~~~

If there was one thing you learned when you joined Hydra, the first rule was to never bring Johann Schmidt bad news. It was the sure fire way that would bring about your end in the most gruesome of ways. So, when Zola transferred his programming back to his leader’s home, the sight of two mangled bodies in the foyer didn’t surprise him in the least bit.

“Sir,” Zola’s voice came hesitantly over the speaker as he used the sensory technology to find the man sitting in the dark on his favorite chair.

“I hope you have good news for me, Dr. Zola. After being surrounded by these incompetent fools today, I have little patience for anything less than perfection.”

Zola knew after all these years how to choose his words wisely. When they had gotten word that Vanko was, first dead, and then not dead, and then taken in by another party, no one wanted to admit that to Schmidt. These two fools in the lobby had disobeyed and reported in to the man and that was what lost them their lives. Zola knew to wait for good news when approaching his God.

“We have found out who took Ivan Vanko, sir. It appears that he used some of his old hacking methods to break past the security into Hammer Industries.”

“And what would Vanko want with that fool of a man?”

“It seems that Hammer promised him vengeance on Stark, sir. How he got his people past our own spies is unclear, but I have men on order not to stop until they have figured it out. I already have men on the way to intercept and persuade Vanko to come to us, sir.”

Schmidt grew thoughtful for a moment. “No, we could use them both. Stark doesn’t take Hammer seriously and Vanko, by all other accounts, was killed in his cell. Perhaps we should see how this plays out.”

Schmidt glanced over at the other man standing in the corner, waiting for his next order. Those blank eyes stared at him and he smirked. “Dr. Zola, I do have a mission for our soldier. See to it that he is rested and prepped for it.”

“Of course sir.” Zola hesitated. He hated Schmidt using his soldier like this. “If I may ask, what are your plans for him?”

Schmidt chuckled, suddenly in a better mood.

“I’m tired of this game. I think it’s time that the Americans get a reminder of our strength. If this fails, I want them all to die.”

“Of course, sir. I have everything already prepped. Do you have any other orders you wish to convey.”

“No.” He paused. “Do not fail me again Dr. Zola. It may be the last thing you and your soldier do.”

“Yes, sir. Hail Hydra!”

Schmidt sneered. “Hail Hydra.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I am super excited for my extended absence over the last two weeks, but my real life came calling and things were a little bit rough for me. I've lost my buffer for this story because of life, so I've been writing week by week and I had a really rough week that resulted in being very upset and having a panic attack and it was just a hot mess. That being said, I really didn't have any kind of motivation to do any writing and even if I had, it probably would have been absolute crap and I really couldn't do that to you guys or to myself.
> 
> Last week I was in the thick of the first week of April Camp NaNoWriMo where I am working on this series as a part of that. I was able to get a chapter to my beta, but between the Easter holiday and being extremely busy herself with work and the other projects she had been working on, it hasn't happened. I was hoping to have another chapter up here for you guys this week, plus the next chapter of Before We Go, but she hasn't gotten them back to me, so as soon as she does, I will get them up here. It may be today or it may be some time this week. I won't know until they're in my inbox, but you guys have been patient and have earned the updates. I am regaining my buffer, so I will have stuff for you guys coming up.
> 
> I'm hoping to finish Iron Man 2 during camp and get started on Thor. That part is going to be changed a bit drastically, so it'll take a little bit more plotting than I've done in the past, but I have great plans for that and an awesome finale planned for the end of this part, so something definitely to look forward to.
> 
> Again I'm really sorry about the wait! Please leave me comments and kudos to let me know what you think! They really do motivate me in writing more stuff and enjoying what I do. Also, please feel free to add me on social media. I enjoy hearing from you guys and answering questions that you might have! I'm trying to do better about being more active on my accounts, but life throws you those curve balls, you know? Hopefully I'll have more up for you guys later today, but no concrete promises!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram/Twitter:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (I am working on the next one guys, it's getting longer and longer.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 4 Posted - 02/26/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	37. The Life of the Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony's birthday has come around and things don't go as everyone had planned.

He knew that he had guests coming. He could hear the DJ playing already and the sounds of people arriving, waiting in the main room for him to come out and greet them. They were here for him, to celebrate his birthday. It was the last thing he wanted to do though.

He wanted to just be alone, surrounded by his friends. His days were numbered after all, and this…this would be the last birthday he would have the opportunity to celebrate. Not that he felt well enough to celebrate. Every day he could feel his health getting worse and worse. It was only a matter of time now.

The act had to go on, which was why he had the elaborate party all planned out and was standing here, in front of a mirror in his well pressed slacks and a button up red and black dress shirt. The shirt was still open as he looked at the marks of the poison on his skin coming from the reactor. He pulled up his health display, seeing that the concentration of the palladium in his body was now up to 89%. What would happen when it reached 100%?

The sound of heels on the floor alerted him to someone coming. He was quick to swipe the display away and began to button up his shirt to hide the marks. If it was Pepper, he really didn’t want her to see this.

“Do you know which watch you’d like to wear tonight, Mr. Stark?” Natalie said as she came around the corner and into the room. Right, Natalie had picked his attire tonight. She had great taste. She had even picked out something for Steve to wear and when Tony had seen him early on, well, he looked great, possibly the best Tony had ever seen the man look. He’d made a comment about taking an old penny and making it shiny and new again. Steve had just glared at him and Natalie had spared him another lecture.

“I’ll give them a look.” He answered as she walked over and put them on the top of his mini bar. She began to shake him a drink when he spun around to look at her. “I should cancel the party, huh?”

She spun around with a martini glass in her hand giving him a painted on flat look. “Probably.”

“Yeah, ‘cause it’s…um…”

“Ill-timed.” She supplied.

“Right, sends the wrong message.”

“Inappropriate.”

He took the glass from her hand and took a sip.

“Is that dirty enough for you?” She asked waiting patiently for an answer from him.

“Gold face, brown band. The Jaeger. I’ll give that a look. Bring them over here.” He responded not answering her question as he went to go sit in the nearby chair.

He set his drink down on the table and plopped down just as Natalie brought the box of watches over. Tony tried to take them from her hands. “I’ll take that. Why don’t you…”

She took a seat on the side of the chair without being prompted. Tony looked up at her unsure of what to say. She pulled out a compact out and leaned in to touch up the covering on his still visible bruises. He was struggling with the fact that she wasn’t giving him any social clues whatsoever and curiosity got the better of him.

“I gotta say it. It’s hard to get a read on you. Where are you from?”

“Legal.” She managed with a straight face. He clearly wasn’t going to get the answer he wanted from her, so he decided to ask something else.

“Can I ask you a question, hypothetically? Bit odd.” She shut the compact and sat back a bit giving him her full attention. “If this was your last birthday party you were ever gonna have, how would you celebrate it?”

“I’d do whatever I wanted to do with whoever I wanted to do it with.” She said as she walked out of the room. Tony watched her go, picking up the glass off the table and polishing it off.

Well, he was dying. What she said made a lot of sense to him. He should be able to do whatever he wanted and under normal circumstances, it was what he would have normally done, but now…screw now. He was turning forty and it was time to celebrate it his way. It was time to go get the suit.

~~~~~

Steve was leaning against the wall when she walked out of Tony’s wing of the house. She smiled at him as she gave him a once over. He was wearing black slacks, brand new black Armani dress shoes, and a dark blue dress shirt with a black undershirt beneath it. Pepper had gotten his bruises from Monaco straightened out and hidden. His normally shaggy blond locks had been cut short and styled a bit for the occasion.

“Looking good, Rogers.”

He managed a smile. “You don’t look bad yourself…Natalie.”

She nodded and started to walk away from him, but he reached out and took hold of her arm, stopping her from going anywhere.

“Did you need something else?” She asked playing her role and that brought the frown back.

“Not from Natalie. I want an honest answer, Natasha. How is he in there?”

She gave him a glance over. The last thing they wanted was for Tony Stark to go off the deep end and do something recklessly foolish. She knew Tony was sick and Steve knew it too. He was also depressed and on edge and most likely to revert back to his old ways, but she had her orders from Fury and they were to let things go without interference and he hoped Fury had passed those orders onto Steve.

“As well as could be expected under the circumstances.” She kept it vague. “You know I have orders, Rogers.”

“Yeah, I do, including the ones about tonight. He’s my godson, Natasha. I’m not going to sit back and let him do something stupid.”

“You can. You have to. It’s the only way we’re going to get him to bounce back from this.”

His eyes narrowed. “You know something.”

She cursed in her head. She gave away too much. Rogers had his orders, but wasn’t in on the full scope of her mission. This wasn’t good.

“All I’m saying is Stark got his stubborn streak from his father. They were both men who learned things the hard way. We need to let this play out and when he hits rock bottom, Fury will intervene. You can be his family, Steve, but tonight you have to be the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and help me keep Potts and Rhodes from doing something about his behavior. Now are you going to let me go, or are we going to have a problem?”

Slowly, he released her arm. She took a step back from him and adjusted her dress.

“I don’t like it, but if Fury has a plan…”

“He does. Howard Stark put him in place for a reason, Steve. Isn’t it about time you started to trust him and work with him?”

Steve exhaled with a huff before running a hand through his hair that messed up the style a little. Natasha came in and began to smooth it out of the way.

“Fine. I’ll trust Fury and you this one time, but if Tony gets hurt, seriously hurt…”

“You don’t need to tell me what you’ll do to me if he gets hurt, Steve. I already know. But, if you think I’m going to go down easily…”

“I don’t.” He cut her off. At least they had an understanding. She smiled and gave him some personal space back.

“Just relax and enjoy the evening the best you can Rogers. Maybe when Fury gets here, he’ll let you in on the full mission. I’ve got my eyes on Stark tonight.”

He nodded, unsure if he could keep the anger out of his tone at the mention of Fury. He knew the man was on his way to Malibu to deal with the aftermath of Monaco, but now he was beginning to think that there was something more to it and he really didn’t like it. She nodded back, and understanding between agents before she began to walk down the hall and got back to her duties.

~~~~~

In hindsight, Steve was a little wary of putting things into Natasha’s hands. Right now, Tony was in a full Iron Man suit behind the DJ boot drunk off his ass as he kicked off the music for the night. The crowd screamed as Tony rocked to the beat of the music, putting on a show as only Tony did best. Steve leaned on the back wall of the room near the entrance, still nursing the beer Natasha had handed him hours ago before Tony had come out.

He saw when Pepper arrived, present in hand. She looked mortified when she saw him dancing up on the makeshift stage. She gaped as she looked over at Steve. He shook his head at her and mouthed ‘It’s his birthday,’ before bringing his beer back to his lips. It was getting warm and he needed to just finish it off.

On stage, Tony fist bumped the actual DJ who pulled back and shook off the pain in his hand. Steve took a deep breath. He had a horrible feeling in his gut that something was about to go horribly and painfully wrong. For the first time in a very long time he wished he could get drunk. Still, even if he couldn’t, he needed a new drink and something stronger than beer. Thankfully the bar was on his side of the room as he made his way through the crowd towards it. It was going to be a long night.

~~~~~

Outside, Rhodey was still in his car waiting to reach the door for it to be valeted. As he had driven up, his phone had rung for the millionth time that week and the topic was Tony Stark. He was still making assurances to the military that he was keeping a close eye on Tony. Well he would, until he got this phone call. The government didn’t like the fact that Tony Stark wasn’t on watch this evening. From the grand announcement of the plans for his birthday, they were worried about an attack while Tony wasn’t around to watch. Rhodey saw the reasoning behind it all, but he was getting really tired of dealing with it all.

“Yes, sir, I understand. No. No, sir that will not be necessary. I’ll handle it. Sir, I personally guarantee that within 24 hours, Iron Man will be back on watch.”

He hung up the phone and it took him another five minutes before he reached the front of the line and he still had to wait for a valet to come back. Once inside, Rhodey sought out Tony. While he wanted to support his friend on his birthday, what he was really here for was to keep a close eye on the man so that his personal guarantee to the General wouldn’t come back to bite him in the long run. He ended up seeing Pepper before he could find Tony.

“Hey, Pepper.” He called as she walked towards him.

“I’m…I’m…” She stuttered, clearly frustrated. “I’m going to go get some air.”

“What’s wrong?”

Pepper turned back and walked the way she came. Rhodey followed, already preparing for anything. Being Tony’s friends for so long was taking its toll on them both and they were getting to a point where they couldn’t handle him. They stepped up to the entrance way and Rhodey got his first look at his friend’s new antics.

“I don’t know what to do.” She said in a rush.

“You gotta be kidding me.”

It was the perfect moment to push them over the edge. Tony in his suit, champagne bottle in his hand as he falls off the stage. He stumbles into the tiny mini bar, smashing the glasses on the shelf before pulling himself back up to his feet. The party guests held a mixture of amusement and shock on their faces. Tony laughs as he manages to climb back up on the stage leaning against the DJ booth, toasting the crowd.

“Where’s Steve?” Rhodey demanded.

Pepper gestured to the bar. Steve sat there, facing the bar. His gaze was fixated on the mirror on the back bar watching Tony’s actions in it. It was strange behavior for Steve who was normally the first to intervene in these kind of situations. Maybe he was done too.

“He said it was Tony’s birthday.” Pepper added. “I don’t know why he’s not trying to stop him.”

That did it. This was the last straw. There wasn’t any way this was going to stand.

“That’s it. I’m making…”

“No, no, no. Don’t call anyone.”

“Pepper! This is ridiculous. I just stuck my neck out for this guy.”

“I know. I know. I get it. I’m gonna handle it, okay? Just let me handle it.” She was pleading with him. She didn’t know how she was going to do it, just that it needed to be done.

“Handle it. Or I’m gonna have to.” Rhodey ordered and Pepper took a deep breath.

Pepper walked over to where Steve was sitting. She didn’t have the strength to stop Tony, but Steve could. She had to figure out what was going on and why he hadn’t stopped this before now. When she reached the bar, Steve was fending off an admirer when she stepped in in front of her and met his eyes.

“Steve, you have to stop him. He’s going to hurt himself and others.”

“I’m not stopping him, Pepper. It’s his birthday.”

“Since when does that matter? You’ve stopped him at other birthdays and other celebrations.”

He took a deep breath. He’d already come up with an excuse if Pepper had come to ask him. Actually, Natasha did and handed it to him to study this morning. He had gotten his own orders from Fury to stand down tonight. Initially he wasn’t going to listen, but Natasha had made it clear even without saying anything directly that she would try and stop him. It did worry him that she wasn’t anywhere in his sights, but he had given his word. That wasn’t something easy for him to go back on. Still, he knew Pepper was worried.

“Pepper, look, I’m not the only one watching him right now. If you want to try and get him down peacefully, that’s up to you. I’m sitting this one out.”

It was the closest he could get to the truth without breaking his word. Pepper huffed and the next clamor from the stage had them both turning to see Tony center stage with a microphone in his hand. He made a gesture for the music to be cut and the DJ complied.

“You know, the question I get asked most often is, ‘Tony, how do you go to the bathroom in the suit?’” There was a pause, Tony blinked and shifted slightly as he leaned in. “Just like that.”

Everyone laughed and Pepper glanced at Steve. He bit his lower lip and the expression on his face told her just how sorry he was. She had no choice as she left Steve to make it over to the stage. In an instant, she climbed up onto the platform with a fake laugh as she approached her inebriated friend. She plucked the microphone from Tony’s hand while he fell into a giggle fit.

“Does this guy know how to throw a party or what?”

The crowd of people cheered and Tony recovered enough to salute the crowd. He leaned in to the mic. “I love you!”

“Unbelievable! Thank you so much. Tony, we all thank you so much for such a wonderful night. And we’re gonna say good night now, and thank you all for coming.”

The crowd sounded disappointed. Tony breathed on her face and she could smell the alcohol on his breath as he spoke. “No, no, no, we can’t….” She brought the microphone down so the crowd couldn’t hear them anymore. “Wait, wait, wait. We didn’t have the cake. We didn’t blow out the candles.”

“You’re out of control, okay? Trust me on this one, okay?”

“You’re out of control, gorgeous.” Tony slurred a bit.

“It’s time to go to bed.” She insisted. “It’s time.”

“Give me another smooch.” He came back with.

“No. You’re not going to be happy about this.”

Tony was still leaning in to her. “Come on, you know you want to.”

“You just peed the suit.” She gave him an example of his reckless behavior.

“I know. It has a filtration system.”

“It’s not sexy.”

“You could drink that water.”

“Just send everybody home, okay?” She pleaded. “It’s time to...”

“If you say so.”

“Okay. I’ll take this, you take that.” She took the champagne bottle from his hand and gave him the mic back. He stepped back shaking a bit as he brought the microphone to his lips.

“Pepper Potts.” The crowd clapped for her. “She’s right. The party’s over. Then again, the party was over for me like, an hour and a half ago. The after-party starts in 15 minutes.”

There was a mixture of reactions from the people in the room. The crowd of strangers cheered at Tony’s announcement, excited about the prospect of what was to come. Pepper looked mortified as she had given into hope at the start of the speech and now looked like a fool in front of all these people. Rhodey seethed as he stared at Tony. He was done with this, so done and with his reputation on the line, it was time to make a move, but at the moment, he couldn’t bring himself to move.

Steve’s heart sank at the words. He glanced around the room looking for Natasha. She wasn’t anywhere to be found. Pulling his phone out of his back pocket, he was already dialing her number to find out what was going on. He paused for just a moment when Tony continued to talk.

“And if anybody…Pepper…doesn’t like it, there’s the door.”

Tony gestured to the glass entrance way. With a blast and a spark, the repulsor shattered the glass, sending it crashing to the floor. Everyone ducked and Steve dropped his phone as his self-preservation kicked in. He scrambled to find it, only to see a woman kick it in the excitement. Tony yelled in triumph as Steve managed to catch up to his phone. It was pressed to his ear when the next spark flew.

“Yeah. Hit!” Tony yelled. One of the girls screamed in excitement as she chucked a bottle into the air. This time Tony took aim and blasted the bottle sending more flying glass across the room. This was getting to be too much. Rhodey finally found the strength to walk away.

“Pull!” Tony yelled and that was when Natasha finally answered the phone.

“Mr. Rogers, how can I…”

“Where are you?”

Another bottle was shot into the air and splattered. Natasha could hear the commotion in the background.

“What was that?”

“Where are you? Tony is going to hurt himself. Is this what you had planned?”

“Tony sent me to the store for something and I’ve only been gone ten minutes. You and Potts were there, so I thought he would be fine. What is he doing?”

“Pull!” Tony yelled again looking into a platter. He managed to hit the bottle again and everyone was truly oblivious to the danger they were in.

“He’s drunk.” Steve said as he left the room, sprinting down the hall to his room. He had to get his shield and get everyone out. Pepper was already trying to get people to go, but they wouldn’t listen, too enraptured by the exploding bottles to realize they were in danger. “And he’s blowing up champagne bottles with his gauntlets. Someone is getting ready to get hurt or killed. Do you want that on your head?”

“Get everyone out if you can. I’m on my way!” Steve could hear the tires screech in the background as the connection cut. He grabbed his shield and ran back as quick as he could to the main room. He returned just in time to see a woman hopping up and down holding a watermelon above her head.

“I think she wasn’t the Gallagher!” Tony yelled. The watermelon hit the air and with a burst from his uni-beam, the soft red fruit and juice descended on the crowd in a mess. The entire crowd went wild in response and Tony danced around and hopped on stage.

“I’m only gonna say this once.” A voice rang out over the crowd. Rhodey stood there in an unpainted Iron Man suit. Just before the head plate came down to cover his face he gave his order. “Get out.”

~~~~~

While Tony had been blowing stuff up, Rhodey had run to the lab. It had been a blind run, unsure of what exactly he was going to do when he got there. He was furious and was acting on that anger as he punched in the code that allowed him access. Glancing around, he saw the Iron Man suits models behind their glass cases. Then he saw the new model in preparation…and that was when everything became clear. If Tony wouldn’t be the responsible one, then he was taking the suit.

He’d seen Tony’s suit come on and off more times than he could count on his hands. After that, it was ridiculously easy to step up to the machine and get put into the silver suit. He should have gotten out of there just like that, but he couldn’t. Tony needed a wakeup call and he needed to hear it from someone close to him. Pepper had tried, Steve looked like he was tired of trying, and that left him. Tony was still his friend, but he was acting less and less like one in the last few months. That alone was enough to cause Rhodey to march back up the stairs and confront Tony about his recklessness and tell everyone else to get out.

He waited for the party goers to all run past him or out the other exits, leaving Tony, Pepper, and a now shielded Steve in the room. It looked like Steve finally decided he wanted to get serious about this, but it was too late now. It was Rhodey’s turn.

Tony stood there stunned, still holding the microphone in his hand. He managed to snag a bottle of booze from one of the scurrying crowd member as he stared down his friend. His head was a little bit too fuzzy to think about what his friend was doing. Rhodey wouldn’t betray him like this…or would he? Tony turned back forward as his friend walked towards him, the mask of the suit hiding his face.

“You don’t deserve to wear one of these. Shut it down!”

Tony glanced back at the DJ booth. “Goldstein.”

The DJ popped up from where he had ducked behind the booth when Rhodey entered. “Yes, Mr. Stark?”

“Give me a phat beat to beat my buddy’s ass to.” Tony started to drunken giggle as the DJ did what he asked him too. When Another One Bites the Dust by Queen began to play. Tony smiled. Perfect.

“I told you to shut it down.” Rhodey said as he wrapped one arm over Tony’s shoulder pulling him back. Tony tossed the microphone up into the air and the face plate came down on his own armor. With ease, he booted up his thrusters. His buddy was going for a ride. They flew through the wall and door to Tony’s sauna and into the gym.

Once Rhodey could no longer hold on to him, with that same practice ease, he flipped in the air, using the thrusters on his arms to keep him from slamming into the gym ring. Rhodey on the other hand rolled on the floor landing face down. Tony started to walk away and as he passed Rhodey he made a comment.

“Now, put that thing back where you found it before someone gets hurt.”

The sensation of a free weight being chucked at his head did nothing to help the headache that was already beginning to form. He may have been drunk with the starting effects of a hangover, but he had functioned on worse. This wasn’t going to stand, not one bit.

Tony turned to see Rhodey holding another weight like a Frisbee. The man let it fly, this time shattering the door of the shower. Tony was unimpressed.

“Really?”

Tony grabbed one of the lifting bars and approached. One of the locks was loose because when he tilted it up, it fell off, but he still had the other side to trash his buddy with. Rhodey had already grabbed another weight, but Tony slammed the lifting bar into the man causing him to drop what he had in his hands. Rhodey sailed through the air into the ropes of the ring and into the back corner, taking the post with him as he landed in the wall before falling to the floor in a slump.

To be showy, Tony took to the air in the room. There wasn’t much room to fly, but he had something to prove and that was he was the only person capable of controlling the suits.

“Sorry, pal, Iron Man doesn’t have a sidekick.”

Tony landed as Rhodey rose from the floor. It was difficult and he wasn’t as comfortable or accustom to the suit as Tony was, but it did help shield him from some of the damaging effects that his bare body would have been broken over. No doubt he would feel it later.

He was still pissed. There wasn’t any way he was going to stop now even though he knew this was just going to escalate. Rhodey grabbed onto one of the posts and began to hit Tony with it.

“Sidekick this!”

Tony grabbed onto the post and wouldn’t let go. Rhodey fought it off for a moment, but eventually his military training kicked in and he brought Tony down to a knee. He yanked the post up, using the leverage to send Tony upward and through the gym ceiling and into Tony’s bedroom.

Tony lay there on the ground where he fell trying to get some sense back. The sound of the thrusters was a little alarming. Rhodey was turning out to be better than he had thought and was adjusting to using the suit. That wasn’t good and Rhodey’s verbal taunt made his head spin a bit.

“Had enough?”

~~~~~

While Tony and Rhodey were duking it out and destroying the house, Steve and Pepper focused on getting everyone out. Though the bulk of the party guest had scrambled outside at Rhodey’s unspoken threat, some had still been lingering outside the room wanting to know what was going on. Pepper was so upset that she couldn’t speak, but Steve was used to giving orders. As the last of the stragglers ran outside, Pepper turned to Steve.

“Shouldn’t you go and stop them?”

“If it was just Tony, I probably could do it. The fact that both of them are going at it and they’re mad, there’s a good chance they’ll kill me in the process.”

“So that’s a no.” Pepper sounded hopeful.

“It’s a no.” Steve confirmed and Pepper’s face fell for a moment. Then she saw the face of someone she hadn’t wanted to see.

“Natalie!” Pepper yelled calling her towards them.

“Miss Potts.” Natalie was prompt to answer and assist. Unfortunately, Pepper was on the war path and this wasn’t going to end well.

“Don’t you ‘Miss Potts’ me! I’m on to you.” Pepper got into her face. Ignoring the loud banging coming from above them. “You know what? Ever since you came here…”

The collective screams and gasps as Tony and Rhodey fell through the ceiling and onto food table. Pepper and Natalie jumped back, shielding themselves from the debris and Steve rushed forward, pulling Pepper back out of harm’s way as he nodded to a stunned Happy who was running towards them.

“Pepper!” He called out as he reached them. The men in suits were already on their feet and Tony wasted no time in knocking Rhodey down again. “Get out of here. Get out of here.”

Steve nodded to Natasha. She needed to act like a civilian and get out of here as well. Swiftly, she made her exit round the other side and only once she and Pepper and Happy were all clear, did Steve get out of the way. Happy and Steve played crowd control while the two men continued their fight.

Punches were thrown. Kicks were solid. The crowd gasped in a mix of fear and awe at the combatants in the room. At one point, Rhodey managed to get Tony into a head lock. Tony just slid down and threw Rhodey in a way where he flipped over Tony’s arm.

“You want it. Take it!” Tony taunted.

Both men were exhausted and it wasn’t long until they were taking turns punching each other. After about a minute of that, Tony threw Rhodey into a table and turned to look at the crowd of spectators. Some of them were watching in excitement of the fight. Others were taking pictures that would no doubt end up in the paper by morning. He’d really messed up this time.

Their faces came up on his HUD and he had enough. The last bit of the adrenaline of his fight in his veins. Yelling at the crowd, he watched as they all scattered to their cars, not waiting for Tony to come after them. Happy grabbed Pepper’s hand and escorted her to her car. Natalie was nowhere to be found and Steve…Steve just looked sad and disappointed in him. That hurt a bit. Scratch that, it hurt a lot more than he thought it would.

What Tony didn’t realize was that Rhodey had recovered, taking the sink out of the counter he’d been slammed into and smacked Tony into the fire place. It was really hot and Tony had a lingering thought that he should probably fire proof his suit a bit better before damaging the hearth trying to get free. Lifting up one of his hands to fire a repulsor, he was a little stunned when Rhodey did the same.

“Put your hand down.” The man ordered, his voice calm and steady and lacking in the anger that had filled him moments before.

“You think you got what it takes to wear that suit?” Tony questioned. As much as he hated to admit it, Rhodey probably did have what it took, but he wasn’t going to ever admit that out loud. That meant so much more than just having someone else who could wear the suit.

“We don’t have to do this, Tony.” Rhodey pleaded. At this point he wanted this to end. All Tony had to do was admit he was wrong and they could be done. Rhodey may even get out of the suit and leave it in Tony’s hands, but it didn’t look like that was going to happen.

“You wanna be the War Machine, take your shot.”

“Put it down!”

“You gonna take a shot?”

“Put it down!” Rhodey yelled.

“No!”

“Drop it, Tony!”

“Take it.”

The repulsor on both gloves fired at the same time. The blasts crashed in the middle creating a large ball of light that grew until the energy pushed outward. Steve watched in horror as the two men were thrust back into opposite directions and the floor to ceiling windows burst outward. Steve brought up his shield to protect himself from the flying glass, only to be hit with the force. He flew backwards slamming into one of the abandoned cars and pressed there by the lingering force.

It was over in a matter of moments. The smoke took another minute to clear and Steve was slowly able to get his bearings. He had cuts on his hands and his face from when the shield had been knocked aside a bit when the force had hit him. His ears rang and his eyes stung from the lack of moisture. He blinked, rubbing them, trying to get his sight back. He was glad that Happy had gotten Pepper out of here and Natasha had left, probably to report to Fury who had gotten in sometime during the party.

He didn’t want to look, but he had to know. Steve had to make sure both Tony and Rhodey were all right. The suits were tough, but they wouldn’t protect the men from everything. He caught sight of Tony first. The man was slumped against the wall just inside of where the windows once were. A pile of glass beside him and the hearth he leaned against in shambles. The lights on the suits eyes were out and Steve rushed to his side trying to figure out a way to get the face plate off.

“Tony.” He called firmly, resisting the urge to shake the man. He could have a brain, neck, or spine injury from something like that. Steve would have to wait until the man was medically cleared to throttle him. “Tony, can you hear me? Are you okay?”

Inside the suit, Tony could hear Steve, but the voice was muffled. It took a moment for the system of the suit to reboot and for his HUD to come back online. When his head turned, the screen came on revealing Steve’s relieved face. His suit would take another minute or two to fully come back online, but seeing as the external microphone wasn’t back online yet, he managed to nod at Steve’s earlier questions.

In the background, the two men heard mechanical movement. Steve spun around to see Rhodey standing in his suit. The new model was a bit sturdier than the old and Rhodey wasn’t drunk off his ass, so he was fine. Rhodey looked at the two men making sure they were both in one piece as well.

“James, don’t.” Steve ordered, but was ignored. The man turned around looking to the sky before booting up his thrusters. He hovered for a moment before shooting up into the air. Steve ran after him, but the only sight he could see was the light of the thrusters in the sky. He didn’t have a way to go after him and Tony was in no shape to. This was just one big mess…a horrible night.

Steve’s first regret was listening to Natasha, for going along with her plan to stay out of this. He needed answers, but first, he needed to get Tony out of the suit and looked over by a doctor. Steve ran a hand through his hair, turning at the sound of Tony getting to his feet.

“No, you’re not going anywhere. I’m done with this tonight, Tony. Get out of the damn suit and let’s get you to a hospital.”

Tony said nothing as he walked out into the balcony away from Steve. With a boost of his thrusters, he too was flying, but in the direction of the city and not the way Rhodey went. Once again, Steve couldn’t do anything but watch as the two men went their separate ways.

Once Tony was out of sight, Steve let his own yell of frustration and anger out before heading back in. He was thankful in his foresight to leave his phone on the bar when the place cleared out. He was also grateful that the DJ wasn’t anywhere to be found as he snatched the phone up and dialed a familiar number. When the person on the other end answered, he didn’t even bother with a greeting in return.

“I need you to come back and get me, now! After everything that’s just happened, I need to filled in on the mission fully and I’m not taking no for an answer.” He growled into the phone. When Natasha tried to argue with him. “I don’t care if Fury ordered you to not say a word. I’m pulling rank here and you are going to tell me everything, Natasha. It’ll be on me. Just get here.”

He hung up without waiting for a response. Natasha would come back even if Fury told her not to. It was far better to be in Steve’s good graces than in Fury’s and most agents knew that from experience.

Steve took a seat at the bar after pouring himself a drink. It had already been a long night and it was going to be an even longer one. He knew where Rhodey was going, but he still had to find Tony. First things first, he was going to get his answers. In the time it took for him to polish off his drink and grab his shield from where he’d left it leaning against the hearth, Natasha was pulling up in her rental car, a neutral look on her face. Steve shoved his shield into the back seat before climbing into the front. Natasha began to speed out of the drive, missing the still parked cars and the mass of debris in the road as she drove. Steve waited until she drove out onto a main road before speaking.

“Start talking, from the beginning. Tell me everything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right after I posted the last chapter, my beta sent me the edits for this one and for Before We Go, so you guys get the next installment of both of those tonight. I kinda said what I had to say earlier, so I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and please leave comments and kudos to let me know what you think! Feel free to follow me on social media...I love talking to and hearing from you guys! Thanks!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram/Twitter:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (I am working on the next one guys, it's getting longer and longer.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 5 Posted - 04/12/2015) If it's not up yet, it will be in a few minutes!  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	38. Damage Control

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone is trying to collect themselves after the party, meanwhile, Ivan and Hammer aren't seeing eye to eye after all.

Rhodey flew on for hours, his mind racing with the actions he had taken, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret it. The combination of Tony’s reckless behavior and the power that the suits combined had displayed proved one very important fact. These suits were too dangerous and too powerful to be left in the hands of a man like Tony Stark.

The downside to the whole thing was that he might have just lost his friend in the process. Tony was notorious for holding grudges, but Rhodey had a small bit of hope that Tony realized why he did what he did and would forgive him in the end. After all, Tony had changed since returning from Afghanistan. He had become more aware of his own actions and tried to make things right again. That may be the only factor that could save their long friendship.

The sun was rising higher in the sky, but it was still early morning as he zoomed over the desert. By the readings on his HUD, he had to be close to the base by now. It was time to call in, seeing as he was in an unidentified flying suit and in no ways expected to come on base like this. His arrival would be the highlight of the moment on base and he planned on putting the night before behind him and have a good day today.

“Edwards Tower, this is Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes, inbound from three miles east at 5,000 feet…”

He could already see the base. The HUD locked on to the various people and objects on the ground, guiding him to make a safe landing. From the looks of things, several of the soldiers and workers that were on the base could see him now and were convening at the hanger he was heading for. It took him a moment to adjust, hovering upright for a moment before cutting the thrusters and landing with a thud on the ground. He knew he had to make quite a sight from all the stares he was receiving. After all, even unpainted this was definitely an Iron Man suit.

Sure enough, the men were approaching him, one of them was a Major partially in charge of the field, hanging off the side of a moving truck. The man jumped off as Rhodey lifted up the face plate revealing that he was truly the one inside of the suit.

“Colonel.” The Major called upon his approach.

“Major.” Rhodey acknowledged the man noting how he was staring at awe at the high tech machinery surrounding his body.

“Wow!” The Major added, his voice unable to hold back the honest awe he felt.

“Yeah.” Rhodey looked down at the suit. He felt amazingly awesome in it. Still, it was drawing too much attention and Rhodey would rather keep Tony from finding out exactly where he had taken it. “Let’s take it inside.”

The Major nodded. “Clear the area.”

The troops scattered getting back to work. No doubt the arrival of Rhodes in the suit would be around base and back within the next hour or so, but with military protocol, it wouldn’t make it past the gates with the exception of the parties that needed to know. They were already making a mental list of who they needed to call as Rhodey took the suit inside the hanger and they assigned a place where they could store it until they could get someone else to look at it.

It took some time, but Rhodey was finally out of the suit. It was well made and no one wanted to damage it, but Rhodey’s knowledge did make the time go by quicker, if only marginally. He was grateful when it was off, but now he could fully feel all the aches and pains from the night before. It was probably a good idea to go get a shower and put some ice on his sore spots. It could very well be a day or two before a General or whoever would be assigned to this project to come out.

Making up his mind, Rhodey made arrangements for a transport back to his home. He would get a shower, nurse his wounds and get some much needed and deserved rest. After all, he had just done what was thought impossible without an army and some tanks. All in all, he was having a great day.

~~~~~

Steve’s day wasn’t starting out that great, but with a night like the one he’d just experienced, it was no wonder with everything that had happened. Natasha had refused to say anything once she picked him up, telling him that Fury had the big picture and told her that he would be the one to talk to Steve about it. In the interim, he had called Pepper to check on her and telling her to keep away for a couple of days while he and Natalie sorted out the mess. He apologized multiple times to her, taking the screaming rant the way any man who deserved it. After making several promises to never ever let things escalate that far or ignoring Pepper for the sake of it being Tony’s birthday or leaving the room as Tony had the potential to kill someone because he was too drunk and irresponsible to think straight, Pepper agreed to let him handle the house and Tony. The conversation ended by her telling him that she was keeping Happy in her services for the next two weeks as punishment for all the crap she had to deal with.

Steve had readily agreed, though he had somewhat lied to her when she asked how Tony and Rhodey were. With Rhodey, he had told her that he walked away from the fight with minimal injuries. There was no way he was going to admit that Rhodey stole a suit before he fled, though in hindsight, if she didn’t figure that one out, that would probably fall on her. He had felt the most guilty when he told her that Tony was all right and that he was sleeping off his hangover. Though it went against everything he stood for, Pepper deserved some peace of mind, so in the end the lie was worth it, though it earned him a curious glare from Natasha. Steve huffed as he hung up the phone with her, rubbing the ache that had formed on the back of his neck from the impact with the car. When Natasha kept glancing at him, that little bit of anger towards her returned.

“What?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you lie before. That and Barton always says it’s against your code.”

“I don’t make it a habit to lie. The truth tends to come out in the end.” He shrugged. “Now I just have to hope that Tony doesn’t do something stupid and the whole thing comes back on me.”

“We’ve been tracking Stark since he left. The nice thing for going undercover this time was I got the keys to the kingdom that let me hack into his systems and track his suits. That A.I. of his is keeping us from keeping the lock for long. It’s only a matter of time before he stops and then we can get him to safety.”

“You want to bring him in.” It wasn’t a question.

“Fury wants to bring him in, but I know you. You’ll make a different call. Besides, I think at this point, Fury is going to have to let him go back to the house. He’s already dispatching a S.H.I.E.L.D. team to start with the cleanup. Since he’s the one who called for us to keep our hands off, he’s coordinating damage control.”

Steve didn’t respond to that. He was too busy beating himself up in his own head. No matter what anyone said, part of this was his fault. He had trusted Natasha and Fury’s words only to have it all blow up in his face, literally. They were lucky they all were able to walk away from that last explosion and Fury better feel lucky that Steve didn’t feel like throttling the man when he got in front of him.

Natasha had stopped glancing at him, staying silent for the remainder of the car ride to the Malibu S.H.I.E.L.D. office. It wasn’t as big or as grand as the New York branch, but it was run by one of the few people Fury trusted in charge of it. Maria Hill was a top notch, no nonsense S.H.I.E.L.D. agent that had been put in the California branch to tighten up security and clean up some of the sloppy mess that had been left behind by the former head field agent. She had quickly made her way up the ranks, impressing Fury with a number of her accomplishments in the amount of time he’d been in S.H.I.E.L.D. It was Agent Hill that met them at the entrance of the building with the head doctor on call.

“Agent Romanoff. Colonel Rogers. The Director is in conference with the World Security Council and ordered us not to disturb him.”

Steve’s eyes narrowed as he looked the younger woman down. Still, she didn’t balk at the glare and kept her head up high as she continued to stare directly into his eyes.

“I know you’re anxious to see some results, Colonel, but from the footage we were able to get from the security cameras on Stark’s property, you hit that car hard. I’m fully aware that you’re sturdier than most people, but would you be willing to at least be looked over for the records?”

Maria had always been a little formal towards him and usually he didn’t mind that, but right now it wasn’t helping. It was distracting and he knew it wasn’t her fault. He needed to get a better grip on his emotions right now and he needed sleep, though he knew he wouldn’t sleep until they had found Tony and brought the man in. Instead of venting, he just nodded and followed Hill and the doctor down the hall with Natasha behind him.

After about an hour of tests, the disinfecting of his wounds, and prodding questions, he was done. The doctor cleared him medically quickly and left the room followed by Hill who was going to check and see whether Fury was done with the council. Natasha stayed with him the entire time, though she stayed quiet and let him rest for a bit on the couch on the far side of the room.

After another twenty minutes or so, the door to the room reopened and Natasha was quick to jump to her feet. Standing in the doorway was the Director looking rather smug. Natasha glance back and forth between the two men, taking Fury’s nod as her cue to exit and leave the two men alone. Rogers and Fury’s fights could be legendary and she didn’t want to be the one to witness or interrupt one of them.

“You look like hell, Rogers.” Fury commented once the door shut behind Natasha.

“Well, maybe if I knew what you were up to and why all the secrecy we could have avoided…” Rogers gestured to the bandages on his forearms and face, “…this.”

“You were the one who wanted a vacation. Not turning out the way you thought it would, did it.”

Steve groaned at that comment. “I’m never taking a vacation again and I don’t need you telling me what I already know.”

“No, you don’t. What you need is a good kick in the ass to motivate you.”

“What I need is for you to tell me what you know and why you’re keeping quiet about it. I know that the fact that I’m on vacation wouldn’t have stopped you in the past so it’s not a great answer and after the evening I’ve had, I’m not in the mood for games. Start talking, Nick, and tell me everything.”

Fury looked him over with his one good eye and began to tell Steve what he knew. They’d been monitoring Tony for months and Tony’s erratic behavior was tied to his condition. It was so much worse than Steve thought, so much so that by the time Fury had finished telling the man what was really going on, Steve had sat up on the edge of the couch with his head in his hands. He was mentally cursing Tony for lying to him and wondered if anyone really told the truth anymore.

“Is there anything S.H.I.E.L.D. can do to help him?”

“Not directly, no. There’s still time for him to find a cure and we’ve got something that can help. First we have to find him and then give him the tools that he needs to figure this out. I’ve already got Coulson on scene at the house clearing away the debris and securing the structure. Stark will have to pay for the damages, but it’s a step in the right direction. The question I have is are you going to stick around for the fall out either way?”

Steve rubbed his face finally looking up at the director. “I don’t really have much of an option. He’s family.”

“Well then maybe you’re not the one who needs that kick in the ass.”

“No, but I know who does.” Steve managed a small smirk. Fury looked like he was going to chastise him further, but the knock on the door interrupted what he was going to say. Instead, Fury opened the door to see Hill on the other side of it.

“Sir, I apologize for the interruption, but we’ve found Stark. He’s finally stopped and we’ve been able to lock onto his location.”

Fury nodded turning around to look back at Rogers. “You coming?”

Steve nodded pushing himself up off the couch. He was feeling a little bit better now that he was fully informed on the situation though the guilt about what happened at the party was still weighing on him. Now, when Tony needed him the most, he didn’t have time to waver though. As much as he wasn’t going to like it, he was going to have to be a team player and figure out what he could do to motivate Tony into finding a replacement for the palladium core.

He stood on slightly shaky legs as Natasha returned. She had a metal briefcase in her hand. Steve glanced at the box and she rolled her eyes before opening the box to reveal a syringe and a vial.

“I was told this was going to help.”

“It will.” Fury added closing the case and handing it to Rogers. “I think the honors belong to you.”

This time Steve did smirk. “Damn right.”

~~~~~

Tony was having a really crappy morning. It wasn’t the worst morning he’d had, it was still in the top ten. The number one spot of course went to the day two years ago when he found himself on a cot with a crappy electromagnet hooked up to his chest that was powered by a car battery. There was nothing Tony could think of that could top that one. Still, he was hungover, probably the worst he’d had in a long time and there wasn’t anything he could do to make it better.

His house was trashed, his best friend had run off with one of his latest prototypes, Pepper was never going to forgive him or let him forget about this, and Steve was disappointed with him. Somehow the last hurt more than the other two, mostly because out of everyone that Tony interacted with, he valued Steve’s opinion the most.

Maybe it was for the best though. He still hadn’t figured out a replacement for the core of the arc reactor and that meant that he was as good as dead by this point and now he had made sure that his friends were all stable. After all, Pepper had his company and despite the recent setbacks, his death would send the stocks for Stark Industries skyrocketing. In his will, everything material he owned went to Steve. Knowing the man, he wouldn’t use any of it, but the man wouldn’t sell it either because he would never truly think of it as his. Maybe he could leave a letter for his friends to pull together and use the Malibu house as a place to gather and reminisce at the very least. That was if he still had friends after this.

Thinking about his friends, his mind wandered to Rhodey. There was no doubt in Tony’s mind that the man had taken the suit to one of the military bases. Before last night he had never thought about it before, but with him dying, the mantle of Iron Man had to past on in some way. Tony would always be the only Iron Man, but Rhodey…yeah, he could pull off becoming War Machine. Though it hadn’t started out that way, looking back to their battle from the night before, it could have been considered a test. Tony had subconsciously been testing his buddy on whether he could handle that weight and Rhodey had responded to his challenge, and had been bold enough to not only fire back at Tony, but he also took off with the suit. In the end, Tony settled on the fact that Rhodey truly was the better man and decided to let it go…for now anyways.

Now he was sitting on the rooftop his favorite donut shop watching the world through the pair of sunglasses he’d bought off a teen for fifty bucks and an autograph. A small highlight of his morning was startling the opening cashier when he’d walked up in his suit sans his helmet and asked for a half a dozen donuts. Where his helmet went, he couldn’t remember with his headache, but it really didn’t matter at this point.

No, he really needed to get rid of his hangover and then maybe see to the rest of his bruises since he knew the moment he took off his suit, they would throb like crazy. Right now though, he was just being lazy, shoving the last donut between his teeth waiting for something to change.

“Sir! I’m gonna have to ask you to exit the donut.”

Tony looked down at the familiar voice to see Fury standing there in front of a dark SUV. Coming around from the other side was a patched up Steve. Well at least he looked a little bit better, though he looked like he could use a good night sleep or copious amounts of coffee. Not that would do anything to help him being immune because of the serum and all.

Fury and Steve walked away and into the donut shop. It took Tony a full five minutes to decide to come down from where he sat in the large donut on the roof of the building before following them in. He was going to tell Fury to go away and figure out some way to apologize to Steve, but when he entered, Fury was sitting in one of the gaudy yellow plastic booths waiting patiently for him. Steve wasn’t anywhere in sight at the moment, but he couldn’t have gone far. Another cup of coffee was there waiting for Tony and Fury gestured for him to sit.

With his fuzzy pounding head, Tony took his best option and slid into the booth. At least his suit cushioned his body from the hard plastic that would no doubt cause his body to scream in pain otherwise. He slumped against the table looking at the man dressed in all black across from him as he pushed up his glasses and rubbed the cool metal against his pounding temple.

“I told you I don’t wanna join your super-secret boy band.” Tony started off with. He’d made it clear when Fury had approached him before that he wasn’t interested.

Fury laughed at him. “No, no, no. See, I remember, you do everything yourself. How’s that working out for you?”

“It’s…It’s…It’s…” Tony stuttered trying to find words. He made a move to drink his coffee, and in true Stark fashion he deflected. “I’m sorry. I don’t wanna get off on the wrong foot. Do I look at the patch or the eye?” Fury smirked at him. Howard was the same way, so Tony’s veiled insult didn’t even faze him. After all he’d heard much, much worse. “Honestly, I’m a bit hung over. I’m not sure if you’re real or if I’m having…”

Fury leaned in getting into the man’s face. “I am very real. I’m the realest person you’re ever gonna meet”

“Just my luck. Where’s the staff here?” Tony said as he looked over to the counter. Fury had closed off the little shop so their chat could remain private. The staff were currently out back having a bit of fun on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s expense though that wasn’t what the director was focused on. What he could see with the turn of Tony’s head were the lines caused by the poison coursing through his veins.

“That’s not looking so good.”

“I’ve been worse.” Tony shot back unaware of the two people emerging from the back of the restaurant. He was caught off guard when a familiar face approached the table, but it wasn’t who he expected it to be.

“We’ve secured the perimeter, but I don’t think we should hold it for too much longer.” Natasha said as she focused strictly on Fury. Natasha had abandoned her formal wear for her fighting suit. Her guns were in their holsters ready to be used. Tony’s cup hit the table a little harder than necessary and he peeked over the top of the sunglasses to get a better look.

“Huh.” He huffed in a flat tone. In his peripheral he could see Fury’s grin at the obvious shock on his face. “You’re fired.”

“That’s not up to you.” Natasha shot back unafraid of the billionaire as she slid into the seat next to Fury.

“Tony, I want you to meet Agent Romanoff.”

“Hi!” Tony said sarcastically as he dropped the sunglasses to the table. Could the day get any worse?

“I’m a S.H.I.E.L.D. shadow. Once we knew you were ill, I was tasked to you by Director Fury.”

Tony rested his head on his hand closing his eyes. “I suggest you apologize.”

Tony’s request was ignored.

“You’ve been very busy. You made your girl your CEO, you’re giving away all your stuff. You let your friend fly away with your suit. Now, if I didn’t know better…”

“You don’t know better. I didn’t give it to him. He took it.” Tony shot back getting angry that Fury was calling him out.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. He took it? You’re Iron Man and he just took it? The little brother walked in there, kicked your ass and took your suit? Is that possible?”

Fury looked to Natasha for an answer though he already knew what it was. This was a game and it was time for Stark to start playing it seriously otherwise it would be for keeps and for good.

“Well, according to Mr. Stark’s database security guidelines, there are redundancies to prevent unauthorized usage.”

Fury looked back at Tony who just sniffed and turned away. Okay, so they caught him. Yeah, he could have shut down the suit and still could, but after his little mental pep talk this morning, he wasn’t going to.

“What do you want from me?” He finally asked, knowing that they had him.

“What do we want from you? No, what do you want from me? You have become a problem, a problem I have to deal with. Contrary to your belief, you are not the center of my universe.”

“Yeah I get it.” Tony said trying to get Fury to stop raising his voice. Seriously he just wanted the man to stop talking, but he wasn’t done yet.

”I have bigger problems than you in the southwest region to deal with. Hit him.”

Tony felt the pinch and shot up in his seat. That hurt. He glanced over to see Steve standing there with the syringe in his hand seconds before the man gripped his chin and turned him sideways. His mouth ran away from him as whatever they gave him seemed to shock his body for the better.

“Oh, God, are you gonna steal my kidney and sell it? Can you please not do anything awful for five seconds?”

“Consider it the beginning of a long list of payback from last night.” Steve spoke for the first time and that shut Tony up for the moment. Fury and Natasha watched as the lines on his neck began to recede back down disappearing below the neckline of the suit. Tony turned back to Fury for answers.

“What did he just do to me?”

“What did we just do for you?” Fury corrected. “That’s lithium dioxide. It’s gonna take the edge off. We’re trying to get you back to work.”

“Give me a couple of boxes of that. I’ll be right as rain.”

“It’s not a cure, it just abates the symptoms.” Natasha explained.

“Doesn’t look like it’s gonna be an easy fix.” Fury commented.

“It’s never an easy fix.” Steve muttered and Fury glanced over at him.

“Trust me, I know. I’m good at this stuff. I’ve been looking for a suitable replacement for palladium.” Tony’s frustration was beginning to seep out in his tone. “I’ve tried every combination, every permutation of every known element.”

“Well, I’m here to tell you, you haven’t tried them all.”

~~~~~

“Hey, hey, hey. Special delivery.” Hammer rang out as he walked through his factory to where Vanko was working. “Candy gram.”

Ivan looked up from where he was working over one of the suits. He placed his tablet and his tools on top of one of the bars as Hammer walked towards him. Behind the man was one of the hired help carrying a covered rectangle that gave Ivan a clue to what it contained. He stepped around the bars turning to climb down the latter to the ground below.

“I brought you something.” Hammer sounded excited as the other man put the object up on the table. They pulled the cover off to reveal a beautiful creature inside. “We got you the bird, pal.”

“This is not my bird.” Ivan said with a straight face. He knew Hammer wouldn’t be able to get his bird back, but he didn’t think that the man would try and pass off this bird as his. Still, the bird was nice, though it was best to let Hammer sweat it out.

“What do you mean? That’s the bird. This is the bird. Yeah. Pulled a lot of strings to get this bird. This is a great bird. ” Hammer tried to rationalize. The moron must have thought if he said something enough and he believed it that whoever he was trying to persuade would believe it too.

“It’s a beautiful bird.” The hired help added.

“We got this all the way from Russia.”

Ivan brought his hands down on the table. “Hey, man, this not my bird.”

“Well, listen, even if it’s not the bird, I mean, this is a gorgeous bird. I mean, you know, look, don’t get so attached to things. Learn to let go.”

For all his words, Hammer had no idea what he had let go of to get to where he was now. He would keep the bird and he at least had to agree that this was a nice and beautiful bird. Ivan pulled the toothpick out of his mouth, watching as the bird maneuvered around the cage for a moment.

“Wait a minute. Jack, what is that?” Hammer caught sight of the top of his suit. “Is that…That’s not a helmet. What is that?”

Ivan ignored the men as the climbed up the stairs to look at his work. No, it wasn’t a helmet. He had no intention of repeating what Stark had done. Ivan was out to make a statement and it wouldn’t be done by copying anything the Stark family had accomplished. He heard the sound the device made when it was pulled off the top of the suit, but Ivan remained focused on the bird that was shying away from him.

“Ivan...What’s this? Jack, is that a helmet?” Hammer handed him the device. “It doesn’t look like a helmet to me. How…How are you supposed to get a head in there? Jack, could you put your head in there?”

“No.” Jack agreed.

“Try to put your head in there. Go ahead. Try to put your head in there.”

Jack went through the motions of putting the device in front of his head. It was more of an appeasement to his boss that taking it serious, though this was a serious situation.

“See, Ivan? He can’t put his head in there. That…That’s not a helmet. It’s a head. I need to put a guy in there. I need to fit a person in that suit. You understand?”

Ivan turned and looked at the windbag. He might actually answer the man if he could learn to shut up. Now that he was given the opportunity to respond, he could tell the man a little of what he had planned.

“Drone better.”

“What? Drone better?”

“Why is drone better?” Hammer asked Ivan before turning back to Jack and asking him the same question.

“People make problem. Trust me. Drone better.”

Hammer tried his best to hide his frustration. This wasn’t what he wanted.

“Ivan, you know, I like you. I got you the bird. I’m…You said, ‘no problem.’ That’s what you said to me. You said, ‘No problem.’ Now I need suits. The government wants suits. Like Iron Man. You understand? That’s what the people want. That’s what’s gonna make them happy.”

Ivan walked up to him slowly. “Hey, man. Don’t get too attached to things. Learn to let go.”

Ivan felt kinda smug at throwing the wind bag’s words back in his own face. He took the head away from Jack and turned back to place it on the table.

“These drones better steal the show, Ivan. You understand? Better rock my world, Ivan.”

Ivan listened to the man go. He didn’t sound nearly as excited as he had when he arrived, but Ivan could care less about that. He wasn’t doing this for Justin Hammer. He was doing this for himself and it didn’t matter if the man liked it or not. Hammer was a tool and just as expendable and anything else that outlived its usefulness. In the end, they would all see him for the genius he was and he would make them pay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I almost forgot to post tonight. I've been super stressed and tired lately, so time and days have blurred a bit in the last couple of weeks. I'm trying to get myself together and thankfully I have something for you guys tonight. I hope you all enjoy this and please let me know what you think by leaving comments and kudos. I will be back next week, hopefully I'll have a clearer head.
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram/Twitter:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (Still working on it! I'll get it out at some point.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 5 Posted - 04/12/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	39. Put to Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The best way to get Tony to fix things...put him to work.

Rhodey had been called back to base a few hours after he had gotten home. Apparently one of the higher ups wanted to not only see the suit, but see the man who put it in the military’s lap. That was why Rhodey had returned to base and was now opening the container where they were storing the suit until they figured out what they were going to do with it.

“Unbelievable.” The man standing next to him was in awe at his first sight of the silver suit. “This ought to get the Senate off my ass. It’s functional?”

“Fully mission-capable.”

“Good. Get Hammer down here to weaponize it.” The General began to walk away.

“Sir?” Rhodey was confused. He wasn’t expecting to have to call Hammer and he knew Tony would be pissed if he knew the one man he legitimately had no patience for was going to touch one of his suits. Then again, the suit belong to the military now and Rhodey had already been chosen as the pilot until he retired or someone else needed to be trained.

“Justin Hammer’s making a weapons presentation at the Expo. We’d like this to introduce it.”

“Sir, I don’t believe that the Expo…” Rhodey was very against this. They didn’t need to go public with the suit and showing it off at the Stark Expo was a way to shove it into Tony’s face and in the worst way possible.

“Colonel, the world needs to see this fast. We’ve got to make this happen.”

“Yes, General, but…”

The General cut him off. “It’s also an order.”

Damn. An order was an order and he would follow through, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

“Yes, sir.”

The General saluted him and Rhodey was quick to return the gesture. “Good work, Colonel. You’ve made your country proud.”

“Thank you, sir.” Rhodey watched him go. He was a little bit torn up about this, but when he really thought about it, there was no way he could turn back. He had meant what he had said to Tony, even if it was in anger. Tony may never forgive him after all of this was done. Then again, maybe things were better this way. He tried to tell himself that, but the pit in his stomach wouldn’t subside. At this point, it was unlikely anything would Rhodey took a deep breath. What was done is done and now he had to follow his orders and call Justin Hammer.

~~~~~

With Tony feeling a bit better and definitely re-energized, they managed to persuade him to come back to the Malibu house. Fury had intended on talking to the billionaire right after they got back to the house, but Rogers insisted that Tony be looked over for his own injuries…and the man in question wanted a shower.

The agents on scene had managed to clean up most of the shattered glass, but they were still trying to figure out the best way of fixing the damage without causing an even worse situation. The party guests from last night hadn’t seen the end of the fight between Tony and Rhodey, but S.H.I.E.L.D. was still attempting damage control from the videos popping up of the men crashing through the ceiling and Iron Man yelling like a maniac at the crowd before they panicked. The entire thing was a mess.

When Tony graced the Director with his presence once more, he glanced around the room as the elder man looked him over and seemed unimpressed. Steve was off in the corner, on his phone talking to Happy from the sounds of it. At least Pepper wasn’t there to see this and to see Tony at the lowest he’s ever been. Steve was finishing up, thanking Happy for all of his help before glancing down at the screen and sliding it in his back pocket.

Three chairs had been found and pulled up where the entrance way used to be. A small table was brought out as well. Agents had stopped to give the men some privacy and were instead watching the perimeter of the house as both Steve and Tony came to sit down next to Fury. The silence was awkward and Tony was about to attempt a joke when Fury began to speak.

“That thing in your chest is based on unfinished technology.”

“No, it was finished.” Tony argued. “It has never been particularly effective until I miniaturized it and put it in my…”

He gestured to his chest and touched the plate covering the reactor. Fury just shook his head and Steve leaned on his knees, fighting back the fatigue he felt. He really didn’t want this to turn into a pissing match between the two younger men, so he hoped they could fight fair and realize they weren’t always right.

“No. Howard said the arc reactor was the stepping stone to something greater. He was about to kick off an energy race that was gonna dwarf the arms race. He was on to something big, something so big that it was gonna make the nuclear reactor look like a triple-A battery.”

Tony poured himself from water from the pitcher on the table. “Just him, or was Anton Vanko in on this, too?”

“Anton Vanko was the other side of that coin. Anton saw it as a way to get rich. When your father found out, he had him deported.

“I remember that. Howard caught Anton Vanko with the blueprints in his hand going out the door. They shouted at each other and Anton was accused of selling secrets. The military and the press went nuts. Howard covered it up, but I knew from the paperwork that the government deported him. Howard wouldn’t talk about it after that. He was upset by the whole thing.”

Steve looked up at them when he finished. He had met Anton Vanko a few times when Howard had worked for him. He had even helped Steve and Peggy on a case for the SSR before it had been disbanded. Vanko had never struck Steve as a bad man, but he also knew how well people hid their true natures. He had been a bit angry himself when he had found out about the whole thing, but by the time he had been told, Vanko was already on his way back to Russia.

“You could have saved me a lot of grief if you had told me about that earlier.” Tony muttered. “Vanko’s son is the one who attacked me in Monaco.”

“I didn’t know you were looking into it and now everything makes sense. You should have told me about this, Tony. You could have and I would have helped you.”

“Yeah, picking me up and pushing me into a wall did wonders for that.” Tony responded dryly.

“Yeah, well, you shouldn’t do reckless stuff that make me worry.” Steve shot back at the younger man.

“Children, can we focus.” Fury cut in. When both men went quiet he continued. “When the Russians or Hydra, we’re not sure which, found out he couldn’t deliver, they shipped his ass off to Siberia and he spent the next 20 years in a vodka fueled rage. Not quite the environment you want to raise a kid in, the son you had the misfortune of crossing paths with in Monaco.”

“You told me I hadn’t tried everything.” Tony wanted answers instead of a history lesson. It was time to cut to the chase. “What do you mean I haven’t tried everything? What haven’t I tried?”

“He said that you were the only person with the means and knowledge to finish what he started.”

“He said that.” Tony sounded skeptical and Fury made an affirmative sound.

“Are you that guy? Are you? Cause if you are, then you can solve the riddle of your heart.”

Tony shook his head unconvinced. “I don’t know where you get your information, but he wasn’t my biggest fan.”

Steve looked confused and a little bit surprised by that. Howard used to come into work and gush over Tony’s accomplishments and how proud he was of his son. If that wasn’t proof a being his son’s biggest fan, he didn’t know what was.

“What do you remember about your dad?” Fury asked.

“He was cold. He was calculating. He never told me he loved me. He never even told me he liked me, so it’s a little tough for me to digest when you’re telling me he said the whole future was riding on me and he’s passing it down. I don’t get that.”

Fury glanced at Steve. Steve shrugged, not knowing what Tony was even talking about. Sure Howard was a bit tough on his only child and the man had an ego that screamed intimidating, but the man was definitely capable of love and it showed. Tony was a teenager when Howard had died, so maybe there was some resentment there, but unless Tony gave them something more specific, they wouldn’t know.

“We’re talking about a guy whose happiest day was when he sipped me off to boarding school.”

“That’s not true.” Fury shook his head.

“He used to talk about you all the time, Tony. Every day he would tell me what you were up to, what new thing you accomplished. He was proud of you.” Steve said, but Tony wasn’t really listening. He leveled Steve with a look that screamed skeptical. There was nothing they could do or say to make Tony believe them and Howard wasn’t exactly coming back from the grave to set the record straight. With what Steve knew about the man, even if he could come back, he probably wouldn’t tell Tony the truth. Tony got his stubbornness from his father and despite arguments made, Tony was like him in more ways that one. When Tony’s message was received, he turned give Fury a bit of an expectant look as he continued.

“Well, then clearly you knew my dad better than I did. I know Steve knew him well enough. They were good pals, weren’t you best buddies Capsicle?”

Steve looked unimpressed. It was a jab at him and a personal one implying his time floating on that iceberg so many years ago. It was a jab that he chose to ignore. Yes, he and Howard had been friends, but it had been difficult to get especially close to the man. Still, after working so closely with the man for so long, you learned about who his is and what he stood for. Steve, along with many others who worked with Howard and Maria, mourned their deaths and despite Howard’s flamboyant, trouble attracting nature, he missed the man.

“Your father was one of the founding members of S.H.I.E.L.D. I know you already know that. It’s old news, but because he was a founder, when he passed, you were brought on as a consultant. He wanted you to continue his work, but he also wanted you to figure out your own path.”

“What?”

Tony’s question was ignored as Natasha and a couple of suits came in carrying a case. They dropped it off between the two S.H.I.E.L.D. heads before Fury got to his feet. He glanced down at his watch and then to Rogers.

“I got a two o’clock.”

“Wait, wait, wait, wait.” Tony was trying to get his attention before pointing to the case. “What’s this?”

“Okay, you’re good, right?” Fury said to Tony.

“No, I’m not good.”

“You got this? Right? Right?”

Tony was completely baffled by the man. Steve knew some of what Fury was doing. They had discussed it. For once it was nice to see Tony getting the bad end of something. It was then that Coulson came into the room and stood next to Steve. The man nodded to his superior officer and Steve mouthed a simple sorry to the man. Too many times, Coulson had come to his aid or paid the price for something stupid he did. Coulson just smirked and turned back to watch Fury and Tony banter.

“Got what? I don’t even know what I’m supposed to get.”

“Natasha will remain a floater at Stark with her cover intact.” Fury explained as he slid his jacket back on. “And you remember Agent Coulson, right?”

“Yeah.” Tony gave up on getting any actual info from the man.

“Oh, and Tony, remember, I got my eye on you.”

Tony sighed in frustration before turning to glance at the three remaining people in the room. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do, or what the case was for, but he knew it was only a matter of time before he’d figure it all out. When he caught Natasha’s eye, she started to explain a few things to him.

“We’ve disabled all communications. No contact with the outside world. Good luck.”

She made her way out of the front of the building with that cheery little tone. Tony just watched her go wondering if he was dreaming all of this. He’d had weirder dreams before though. Maybe he just needed some coffee. Maybe he could get away with a quick run now that the cyclops was gone. Then again, why should he do all the work? The suit was perfect for that, so he put on his best smolder face.

“Please. First thing, I need a little bodywork. I’ll put in a little time at the lab. If we could send one of your goon squad down to The Coffee Bean, Cross Creek, for a Starbucks run, something like that, that’d be nice.”

“I’m not here for that. I’ve been authorized by Director Fury to use any means necessary to keep you on premises. If you attempt to leave or play any games, I will tase you and watch Supernanny while you drool into the carpet. Okay?”

“Right. I think I got it, yeah.” Tony didn’t want to be tased.

Coulson nodded. “Enjoy your evening’s entertainment.”

The man walked away too, leaving Steve and Tony alone with the case. Tony walked over glancing at the top of the case where it had been stamped the property of H. Stark. Steve was quiet, resting his chin on his hand. He wasn’t looking at Tony. In fact, his eyes were closed and if Tony didn’t know any better, he would say the man was sleeping.

“Do you have anything you want to say to me too?”

“I think it’s already been said. It won’t do us any good to keep rehashing this over and over again. Nick has already gotten me up to speed on everything and I know you’re frustrated. Right now you just need to focus and figure it out. This is life or death, Tony.”

“Yeah, I know that. It’s my life we’re talking about here.”

“Then maybe it’s time you start acting like it is.” Steve got to his feet and began to walk to the stairs.

“Where are you going?”

“I was up all night looking for you. I’m going to bed.”

“And what am I supposed to do exactly?”

Steve turned to look back at Tony. “Maybe you should open up that case and figure it out.”

With that, Tony was left alone with the case. He stared down at it as he took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Well, he wasn’t going to get out of this one. Might as well lug this sucker down to the lab and hope that it would hold the magic key that Fury thought it would.

~~~~~

Steve trudged up the stairs exhausted. He doubted he was going to get any sleep at this point, but he would at least try. His head was aching with all the information and revelations that had been forced on him in the last few days. As much as he hated it, there was nothing to beat up to make it right or some magical solution. Tony’s life rested in his ability to come up with a solution…with maybe a little bit of help from Howard. Steve had only gotten a small glimpse on what had been put into the case. Fury had assured him over and over again that it would help, but only if Tony would listen.

The goal of the intervention in the donut shop had been to make Tony listen and maybe humble up a bit. Steve doubted it would last for long, but the younger man had run out of options. Steve wanted this to work, could hope and pray for it to work, but it all rested on Tony.

Steve rubbed his eyes for what felt like the hundredth time that morning before pushing the door to his room and spotting Phil Coulson sitting on his bed. The agent looked up as he entered, but made no move to stand.

“Rough night?” Coulson asked and Steve chuckled humorlessly.

“What gave it away?” Steve tried to smirk, but it fell short.

“Maybe it’s the fact that you look like you’ve been through hell.”

Steve moved into the room and over to the window, or what was once his window. The blast had broken all the glass, but it looked like Phil already cleaned up all the broken glass in his room. There was a breeze blowing through the open space and Steve rubbed the back of his neck.

“I feel like it. I’m beginning to think that going on a vacation wasn’t such a good idea. I mean, it’s turning out to be more stressful that being at work.”

“A lot of people feel that way. Then again, a lot of people don’t vacation with Tony Stark.”

They were tiptoeing around the issue. Steve really didn’t want to talk about everything that happened, though he had a feeling that Coulson already knew what had happened. Knowing Phil, the man was just checking in on him, making sure that he was really okay. Glancing back at the expectant look on the man’s face, Steve sighed.

“I’m fine, Phil. It’s just been a couple of rough days. I’ve been through worse.”

“I know that.” Coulson responded. “I also know you wouldn’t tell anyone if things weren’t fine. Fury told me what was going on…Monaco…Stark…Vanko…it’s a lot for anyone’s plate. I know you won’t go off the deep end or do something stupid, Rogers, but I wanted you to know, if you need to talk…”

Coulson had offered this before and Steve counted himself very lucky to be surrounded by good people.

“Thanks Phil. I know I can come and talk to you. I just think I need some time to digest it all, maybe get some sleep.” Steve paused. “Just do me a favor and keep an eye on Tony. I don’t think he’ll slack off on this, but he might try and come up with a few creative ways to try and get past you.”

Coulson nodded, his lips curling. He stood up from the bed, unbuttoned the buttons on his suit jacket, and pulled the right side open to reveal a Taser on his belt. “I think I’ve got everything covered, boss. Get some rest and I’ll wake you up if there are any new developments.”

This time Steve managed a tired smile. “I knew I could count on you.”

~~~~~

The military was having a hard time deciphering exactly what they had. Stark’s technology was unlike anything they had experienced before. One of the generals had been quick to come to the base to see what Rhodes had brought it and they were not disappointed.

The man in question was currently helping the techs figure out everything. They had removed the chest plate, and stripped part of the armor down. They had already called in another specialist to try and work out a deal on arming the suit, seeing as it was just a prototype with limited firepower. The one thing Rhodey didn’t want to fall into anyone’s hands was the arc reactor. That was why he was very carefully pulling the item from the core of the chest.

“Think this is the power source?” The major standing next to him asked.

“Major, this is not a scientific exercise. Let’s just focus on arming it, all right?” He pulled the reactor closer to his chest.

“Yes, sir.” The man backed off as Rhodey put the reactor into a bag and out of sight.

It was the exuberant shout that startled both men, causing them to look to where Justin Hammer was walking into the hangar.

“Oh, yes! Oh, yes, yes, yes.” The man exclaimed it to the world. Behind him, another officer was pushing a cart of various items behind him. “Is it my birthday? You got it. What did you do? What did you do?”

The three officers standing there were unimpressed with the man standing next to them. Although Hammer seemed extremely excited about the prospect of this being an Iron Man suit, he seemed a little appalled by the fact that the suit was in pieces on the table.

“Is this what I think it is?”

“Yes, it is.” Rhodey answered him, crossing his arms over his chest. “Hammer, I want to know what you’re gonna do for us.”

“What am I going to do for you? Well the first thing I’m gonna do for you is I’m gonna upgrade your software. And then, second, I think I should…”

Rhodey was quick to stop the man. “That’s not what I’m talking about. Hammer, I’m talking about firepower.”

Hammer pulled the lollipop out of his mouth. This was serious, very serious, but he could still enjoy himself a bit. The lollipop was his treat for earning a chance to redeem himself to the military.

“Well, you’re talking to the right guy.” He put the sucker into his mouth biting down. It was time to show them what he had for them to work with. He slipped on some rubber gloves and got rid of the stick. This was his ticket back into being the weapons manufacturer for the government. If he played his cards right, maybe he didn’t need the drones Ivan was working on.

“Claridge Hi-Tech, semi-automatic, 9 millimeter pistol.” He started off with, but when he got no response from the men in uniform he quickly figured it was a pass. He set it aside and pulled out the next gun in his arsenal. “Too downtown? I agree. M24 shotgun, pump action. Five round magazine.”

The Lieutenant Colonel was rocking on his feet, but once again Hammer couldn’t get a reading on what the man was thinking. “You know what? You’re not a hunter. What am I talking about? I’m getting rid of it. This is the FN-2000 from Belgium. They do make something better than waffles. It’s beautiful, but I can tell this isn’t disco enough for you, so I’m gonna put it right here.”

He began to go through the other equipment he brought with him. Something had to give with these guys. “You’re looking at a Milkor 40 millimeter grenade launcher. Tear gas, smoke, Hippie control. You’re tough. Let me tell you something. Size does matter. Don’t let anyone tell you different. This is a M134 7.62 Minigun. Six individual barrels. The torso taker, powder maker. Our boys in uniform call it Uncle Gazpacho, or Puff the Magic Dragon.”

Hammer tried to smirk, but both men maintained a neutral face. Come on. Something had to happen. He was running out of stuff to show them. He went back to his case and pulled out a smaller case from within. “Okay. These are the Cubans, baby. This is the Cohibas, the Montecristos. This is a kinetic-kill, side-winder vehicle with a secondary cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine RDX burst.”

The Lieutenant Colonel looked a little bit more interested in it as Hammer handed it over for him to look at. “It’s capable of busting the bunker under the bunker you just busted. If it were any smarter it would write a book. A book that would make _Ulysses_ look like it was written in crayon. It would read it to you.”

The Major handed the item back to Hammer. “This is my Eiffel Tower. This is my Rachmaninoff’s _Third_. My _Pieta_. It’s completely elegant. It’s bafflingly beautiful and it’s capable of reducing the population of any standing structure to zero. I call it the Ex-Wife.”

Rhodey grew thoughtful as he looked at the man in front of him. Hammer sniffed the item as if it were a fine Cuban cigar. He was genuinely impressed with the arsenal Hammer had brought for them to look at. Now if they could only get him to shut up so they could make a deal.

“That’s the best I got. Are we gonna do this? Give me something here. You’re like a sphinx. I can’t read you.”

“I think I’ll take it.” Rhodey finally responded.

“Which one?”

“All of it.” Rhodey walked away from the man not wanting to hear him say anything else. He’d heard enough of the man’s voice for the day. Plus he had work to do.

“All of it.” Hammer repeated after him. Well, the guy could have said something sooner. Well at least he got the deal he wanted. That was a plus. Now it was only a matter of time before he could get his techs to start work on this. He could already picture the look on Tony’s face when he showed up with this suit at the Expo. Oh this was gonna be good.

~~~~~

Tony pulled open the container and began to rifle through the items inside. After pulling out an old movie reel case, he had to find the projector he had been meaning to take apart and tinker with. Now he was grateful that he hadn’t taken it apart. He set it up in the background while he began to tinker through all the junk. Sitting on top were the original blue prints for the arc reactor. Next to his father’s name was Anton Vanko. Tony didn’t know what to think for once, so he did the only thing he could do and set the blueprints aside.

Underneath it was a newspaper article. Splashed on the front page of The Dallas Record was the article about when Vanko had initially defected from Russia to come to the United States. The Vanko in the picture was a young one and Tony could see a bit of the resemblance between father and son. In the picture, Vanko looked like he was working on a prototype of something similar to the arc reactor. It made Tony wonder just how much work his father had actually done on the blue prints. He guessed it didn’t really matter at this point, but still…

Tony turned his attention to the feature film on his screen. The first glimpse was a model of the arc reactor before it panned up to the man himself, just as Tony remembered from his childhood. The man was dressed in a well-made and tailored suit, what little hair he had left slicked back and the mustache nice and neat. The man opened his arms wide as he began to talk and Tony picked up a journal and flopped into his comfy chair, flipping through the book as he half-watched, half-listened to the show.

_Everything is achievable through technology. Better living, robust health and for the first time in human history, the possibility of world peace. I’m Howard Stark, and everything you’ll need for the future can be found right here._

Tony was glancing over equations written down in the notebook. It was less a journal and more of a math major’s workbook with all the equations and notes on the inside. Some of the notes were even written in Russian and Tony didn’t have J.A.R.V.I.S. at the moment to translate them. On the screen it showed his old man pacing as he was muttering to himself in front of a model city.

_City of the Future? City of Tomorrow? City of…_

Howard stopped, going back to a cue point and waited for the signal for him to start again. He took a step forward testing, before plastering a grin on his face and stepping into the center of the frame, standing in front of the city.

_I’m Howard Stark, and everything you’ll need in the future can be found right here. So, from all of us at Stark Industries, I would like to personally…Tony, what are you doing back there? What is that?_

Tony glanced up. Sure enough there was little him holding a piece from the model city. Yeah, he remembered this. His dad hadn’t been happy about that one. He’d been too young to realize this would probably earn him his father’s wrath a bit, but he was a kid.

_Put that back. Put it back where you got it from._ He watched as he put the piece back. _Where’s your mother? Maria? Go on go, go, go, go._

Instead of his mother, one of the camera crew picked him up and carried him out of the way. Tony remembered being dropped outside the door of the room and he had to go find his mother, not wanting to make his father more upset. He secretly wished he had been a bit wittier then. He could have told his father what was really on his mind. After all, this was mild annoyance compared to other times.

_All right, I think we got…_ Howard took a moment to try and compose himself. _I’ll…I’ll…I’ll come in and…_

A few random images flashed across the screen before it went blank. Tony wasn’t really paying attention after that. The words, the diagrams, the formulas in the book were turning out to be useless. There was nothing in here to solve this so called riddle.

The next image that came up on the screen was Howard drinking something alcoholic out of a glass. He held the glass up to his lips, his voice echoing and muffled by the thickness of it. _Are you waiting on me?_ The man held up a finger and continued to drink his drink.

Then a film countdown before it showed the man looking at the model behind him. _So, from all of us at Stark Industries, I’d like to personally show you…_ The man got a look on his face before turning around… _my ass._ Howard had to be a bit tipsy on that one. He was laughing a bit, but it was more in exasperation and frustration. _I can’t… We have this, don’t we? This is a ridiculous way…Everything is achievable through technology._

Tony wasn’t impressed. If this was supposed to be the answer to his problems he was in trouble. He flipped another page in the journal and ran into the blank pages. Tony sat up and flipped though, but the rest of the pages were all blank. He was done and he was no closer at solving anything. He chucked the useless thing into the nearest waste bucket and leaned in to rub his eyes. Glancing at the clock, he realize he had only been at this for a few hours now. It felt so much longer.

He reached for his drink. Coulson, the killjoy had blocked off his bar telling him he’d had enough alcohol for the night. Tony was still a little bit hung over, but by now he was a drinking pro. Without his beloved booze to drown in his sorrows, he opted for a soda as he noticed the reel was coming to an end.

Howard walked back onto the screen. His suit coat was gone, and his slicked backed hair wasn’t as neat as it had been before. The man wasn’t looking so hot as he turned to face the camera

_Tony?_ The one word, his name, got his attention quickly as he focused on the projection of his old man.

_You’re too young to understand this right now, so I thought I would put it on film for you._ The man gestured to the table behind him _. I built this for you. And someday you’ll realize that it represents a whole lot more than just people’s inventions. It represents my life’s work. This is the key to the future. I’m limited by the technology of my time, but one day you’ll figure this out. And when you do, you will change the world. What is and always will be my greatest creation is you._

The man tried to smile on the screen. Never before had Tony seen his father like this, tired, worn down, but there was a hint of pride in his expression. There was an honesty there that he wasn’t used to seeing from the man and he had to wonder…just for a moment if Steve and Fury had been right. He’d never know for sure, seeing as the man was long gone now, but there was a bit of clarity there.

More than that, something clicked as the images of the model flashed across the screen. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but there was something important he was missing, something that he wouldn’t get without the whole picture. The whole picture was currently sitting in the CEO office at Stark Industries. That same office that one Pepper Potts had taken over when the paperwork had been signed and legalized.

Well, he guessed he owed her an apology. It wasn’t going to be pretty, but nothing about last night had been and Pepper was beyond mad at him…again. Well, if he was going to apologize he was going to have to go up and get ready to leave. Now he just had to figure out a way to get past Coulson and his goon squad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I'm sorry you guys. Guess I got in a little bit of a rut on this. I'm trying to plot out Thor and the story isn't coming out how I want it to. Trying to work out those kinks and it's stressing me out a bit. That and I wasn't terribly fond of this chapter, though I will always like the Steve/Coulson dynamic and who doesn't like Fury as a character. 
> 
> Anyway, I'm trying to get myself back on track and at least finish up Iron Man II, but things didn't work out on Camp NaNoWriMo as I had hoped, so I don't have a buffer like I planned. Just in case I do disappear for a week or two, I am not abandoning this story! I just need to get my ducks in a row for what I've got left. I do have to say, seeing Age of Ultron may have helped a bit. I'm back in an Avengers frame of mind, so I'm hoping for the best.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy the chapter and please leave comments or kudos or ask if you have questions! I do love to hear from you and it really does motivate me when I know people are reading and like it! Thanks for reading and for your patience.
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram/Twitter:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (Still working on it! I'll get it out at some point.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 5 Posted - 04/12/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	40. The Key to the Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony tries to make amends with Pepper. He and Steve do a little bit of discovering and creating.

Tony had ended up coming to a compromise with Coulson. If the man would let him go to Stark Industries to pick up the model, and after assuring the man that it was needed to solve the whole thing, he would take Steve with him to make sure he made it back to the Malibu house in one piece. He had tried to do it without Steve, but Coulson insisted someone go with him and when Tony finally bent on Steve tagging along, Coulson then made him promise to wait until Steve woke up from his nap. Thankfully, Steve didn’t need as much sleep as a normal person, so even after an all-nighter, Steve was up about an hour and a half after Tony sealed the deal.

Of course he had to do the dance with Steve again. The man was skeptical about a model city being the key to solving the issues with the reactor. Hell, Tony even thought it was a wild goose chase seeing as he didn’t even know what he would find, but he was willing to try anything at this point. Of course, he didn’t tell Steve his doubts, and instead begged Steve to trust him on this. The begging alone had to get his godfather’s attention. Tony almost never begged, but it was the only way Steve would take him seriously and come along. When the man finally relented, he made a point to ask Coulson to borrow the taser and promised Tony that he would use it if he was lying or being obnoxious in any way.

Tony had held his hands up in surrender, making a mental note to seriously make all of this up to…well everyone at this point. Steve, Pepper, Rhodey, Happy…he owed them all an apology, though he wasn’t very good at those sorts of thing. He’d figure something out.

Now they were driving down the highway in one of Tony’s cars with the top down. Steve’s eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, but Tony knew the man was doing his best to ignore Tony. Speaking of apologies, he pulled over when he saw a stand selling strawberries. Everyone liked strawberries, right?

“How much?” He asked as he pulled up to the man selling the strawberries.

“Six dollars.”

“Six. I don’t have any dough. Here.” He began to pull off his very expensive watch.

“No, sir, that’s too much.” When the man realized what he was doing. Steve just stared at Tony like he was crazy, but kept his mouth shut

“No, it’s fine. Take that. It’s fine.” He held out the watch.

“No, senor.” The man shook his head.

“Take it. Take it.” He said as the vendor finally took the watch. He started to hand the strawberries to him and Tony stopped. “I don’t like people handing me things. Steve, can you take that?”

Steve was still glancing at him over the sunglasses as he took the strawberries and set them in his lap. The man was probably questioning whether Tony was messing with him or not.

“Are you Iron Man?” The man asked stepping away from the car.

“Sometimes.” Tony responded as he sped down the road, kicking up dust and dirt into the air.

“We believe in you.” The man called to the departing car and Steve just shook his head.

“What?” Tony asked. “I know that looked crazy, but these are for Pepper.”

Steve gave him another odd look. “I’m just gonna let you keep digging your own hole, Tony. One day you’ll figure out how to climb out of it”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’ll find out when you give Pepper the strawberries.”

Steve looked away from him and back out to the surrounding scenery. The aforementioned strawberries were tucked in the cubby of the console between them. Tony glanced down at them and took a deep breath. It wasn’t worth arguing about right now. Right now he had to get to that model and get it back to the house.

~~~~~

When they arrived, they parked next to one of the bikes Tony kept at the place should Steve every come by for a visit. They’d probably need that as the passenger’s seat would be filled with pieces of the model city, so best bet was to make things convenient for everyone. The two men made their way up to the main offices and didn’t wait to be announced as they went into the CEO office. Pepper was sitting behind the desk leaned back in the chair a bit, talking firmly to whoever was on the other side of the phone call.

“It was an illegal seizure of trademark property.” She looked up as they entered the room with Pepper’s appointed secretary trying to announce them. She seemed flustered and Tony did his best to assure her. Steve remained silent, not willing to apologize for the man right now. Pepper held up a finger and argued back to what was being said on the other line. “Listen, it’s our position that Stark has and continues to maintain proprietary ownership of the Mark II platform.”

Steve made sure the door was shut behind them. So that’s what was going on. She was fighting to get the suit back from the military. Natasha must have told her and Pepper was doing everything in her power to fix things. Steve admired the woman so much, especially after everything she’d been through, she cared that much about Tony to fix this. After all the mistakes and all the headache, heartache, and the knowledge that more was to come with Tony, she was still trying.

On the TV, there was a reporter talking about the company and Tony. Steve leaned against the back wall to listen while Tony was staring up at the screen to wait for Pepper to finish her phone call. On the screen in large blue lettering were the words Tony Stark is done with what looked like a summary of something beneath it.

When Mr. Stark announced he was indeed Iron Man, he was making a promise to America. We trusted that he would look out for us. He obviously did not. And now we learn that his secretary, a woman named Virginia ‘Pepper’ Potts, has been appointed as CEO of Stark Industries. What are her qualifications? Ms. Potts is doing nothing to manage this terrible…

“Mute.” Tony said. He wasn’t going to listen to some dirt bag reporter talk bad about Pepper. Not when she was cleaning up his mess.

“No the suit belongs to us. Yeah, but you’re not…Burt…Yes, it does. No.” Pepper spoke firmly into the phone, annoyed by what she was hearing. She glared over at Tony as she continued to talk to the person on the other end of the line. “No! Burt…Burt…Burt, listen to me. Don’t tell me that we have the best patent lawyers in the country and then not let me pursue this.”

“I’ll get this stuff out of here.” Tony wandered over to where Pepper had boxed up this things, thumbing through a box as he addressed her. There was a large object up against the wall and Tony took a moment to peel back the sheet covering it to see if it was his prize. Yes, it was.

“Well, then, tell the President to sign an order. We’ll talk about it at the Expo. Hammer’s giving some presentation tomorrow evening. Will Tony Stark be there?”

Tony wondered over to the desk at the sound of his name. “Will I? I would like to be.”

Pepper made a face that screamed ‘don’t even think about it’ before she answered. “No, he will not. Bye.”

She nearly slammed the phone down on the cradle as Tony pulled a chair up. Over Tony’s head, Pepper glanced at Steve who just shrugged. Steve wasn’t about to get in the middle of this. He was just here to babysit his hungover mess of a family member and find an excuse to possibly tase him.

“Got a minute?”

“No.” Pepper responded dryly.

“Come on, you just got off the phone. You’re fine, 30 seconds.”

Pepper looked down at her wrist watch. “Twenty-nine, Twenty-eight.”

“Ok, I…um…I was just driving over here, and I thought I was coming to basically apologize, but I’m not.”

Steve wanted to smack the man for that one, but since Tony was on the far side of the room, he was just going to let Pepper deal with him. From the look on her face, she wasn’t pleased either. She didn’t have to listen to what Tony had to say either, but she was and she was going to make it clear that she was past her limits on what she could endure from him.

“You didn’t come here to apologize?” She asked it rhetorically. Shocker, Tony Stark not apologizing for his behavior and the grief he put everyone through. It was a miracle he hadn’t driven anyone away.

“Look, that goes without saying, and I’m working on that. But I haven’t been entirely upfront with you, and I just want to try to make good.” Tony paused. “Can I move this? This is crazy. It’s like a Ferris wheel going. I’m trying to get some…”

“No.” Pepper’s tone was flat. Steve could barely see the object from where he was standing, since Tony was blocking the view. It was some crazy device that moved for decoration. He took a deep breath. Maybe this was a good thing, to annoy Tony when he’s done so much worse made it feel like they were getting retribution in some form. Tony shut his mouth at that and moved to the other side of the desk where the toy wasn’t a distraction anymore.

“Do you know how short life is? And if I never got to express…And by the way, this is somewhat revelatory to me…And I don’t care…I mean, I care. It would be nice. I’m not expecting you to… Look, here’s what I’m trying to say. I’m just gonna say it.”

“Let me stop you right here, okay?” Pepper cut him off. “Because if you say ‘I’ one more time, I’m gonna actually hurl something at your head, I think. I am trying to run a company. Do you have any idea what that entails?”

“Yes.” It was a quick response. After all, even with all the crap Tony did, he had run the company since his early twenties. Still, he floundered a bit under Pepper’s words, unsure of what to say.

“People are relying on you to be Iron Man and you’ve disappeared, and all I’m doing is putting out your fires and taking the heat for it. I am trying to do the job that you were meant to do.” Well, Tony didn’t know what to say to that. Every word of it was true and there wasn’t anything Tony could say that would come out right. Instead it would be a joke, so it was better if he kept his mouth shut.

“Did you bring me strawberries?” Tony met her gaze. He said nothing as the look on her face said everything. “Did you know that there’s only one thing on Earth that I’m allergic to?”

“Allergic to strawberries.” He was going to kill Steve later for that one. “This is progress, Pepper. I knew there was a correlation between you and this.”

“I need you…”

“I need you too. That’s what I’m trying to…”

“…to leave now.”

They stared at each other in an awkward silence. Tony was the first to look away, trying hard to swallow the knot in his throat. Well, that could have gone better. The sound of the door opening snapped them back to reality as the Russian super spy stepped into the room followed by Happy.

“Ms. Potts?”

“Hi, come on in.”

Tony turned around, a confused look on his features as Natasha approached. That’s right, she was still here…undercover again. What was she doing working with Pepper?

“Wheels up in 25 minutes.”

“Thank you.” Pepper said as the other woman brought her the itinerary for the day. Pepper had pegged her wrong. The woman was dedicated and efficient and just tragically gotten twisted up in one of Tony’s schemes. Pepper was glad to have her on board the team now.

“Anything else, boss?” Happy asked, clearly having been used to run errands for Pepper.

“I’m good, Hap.” Tony responded quickly.

“No, I’ll be just…another minute.” Pepper said almost simultaneously, adding to Tony’s strange puzzlement. Either his world was ending or someone slipped something into his birthday drinks. Pepper began to sign some of the documents Natasha had brought her as Tony glanced over at Steve for his non-reaction and then moved on to Happy.

“I lost both kids in the divorce.” He laughed, even though it really wasn’t funny. “Nothing. No.”

Happy shook his head and Tony spun back to the ladies. “Are you blending in well here, Natalie? Here at Stark Enterprises? Your name is Natalie, isn’t it?”

The woman glanced over at him, eyes narrowing at the sound of Stark’s voice. He smirked at her discomfort. Steve covered his face with his hand at the obvious tension in the room. Natasha was going to say something snarky to Tony if she ever got the chance.

“I thought you two didn’t get along.”

“No. That’s not so.” Pepper finished signing the documents handing them back to Natalie.

“It’s just me you don’t care for.” When Pepper didn’t give him a response he prompted her. “No? Nothing?”

“Actually, while you’re here, maybe you and Natalie could discuss the matter of the personal belongings before Steve makes sure you get back home in one piece.”

“Absolutely.” Natalie was looking at Pepper, nodding once as the CEO grabbed her purse to make her way out the door. She was due to fly into New York tonight for a board meeting before the Expo tomorrow night.

Tony watched her go with Happy trailing behind her pulling her luggage. Steve smiled a little, nodding to Pepper as she went, the door swinging shut behind her. Tony could hear Natasha rummaging around behind him. When the door closed, she got her opportunity to say something to him.

“I’m surprised you can keep your mouth shut.”

“Boy, you’re good. You are mind-blowingly duplicitous. How do you do it? You just tear things…you’re a triple imposter. I’ve never seen anything like you. Is there anything real about you?”

The words were tumbling from Tony’s mouth before he could filter them, not that he would if he could. He was being honest in his amazement, stuttering over a few phrases with their quickness. With each sentence that passed over his lips, her gaze darkened as she stared at his face. Steve only knew bits and pieces of Natasha’s history in Russia and from the look on her face, Tony had poked the sleeping bear of rage behind the pretty face. It wouldn’t take much more for Natasha to retaliate and have Tony on the floor nursing multiple wounds.

“Do you even speak Latin?”

Natasha muttered a Latin phrase as she stepped around the desk heading out.

“Which means? Wait. What? What did you just say?”

“It means you and Colonel Rogers can either drive yourselves home or I can have you collected.” She snapped around to glare at him one final time as Steve moved to hold the door open for her to make a hasty exit. Yeah, today was just getting better and better and she was now mad at Steve for some reason seeing as she referred to him by his military rank.

“You’re good.” Tony called after her as she grabbed the door handle out of Steve’s hand and slammed the door shut with a harsh click. Yup, she was pissed. Tony looked over to Steve.

“You knew she was allergic to strawberries didn’t you?”

“I did.”

“Well you could have told me. That would have gone a lot better if you did.”

“And I told you I was going to let you keep digging your own hole. Did you think that just because you came here to try and talk to her that things would change? Did you think she was going to just forgive you like that, like she always does, and go about her life as if nothing had happened and she would just continue to clean up your mess?”

Tony didn’t answer him as he leaned back in the chair. He exhaled frustrated, but didn’t come back with one of his usual snappy comments. “What should I do?”

“First things first, you’ve gotta get this done and fix the arc reactor. You can’t make anything up to anyone if you’re dead. As for what you should do after that, I think you already know the answer.”

Maybe he did. Well, at least he had some ideas. He took another deep breath when he caught sight of the windmill thing that was still driving him crazy. He reached up and over to grab it, keeping it still as he looked around the desk for something that would stop it. Maybe it would break and Pepper would get rid of it. He moved a tape dispenser between the legs to stop its next go round and efficiently stop it before snatching up the strawberries, popping one into his mouth before dumping most of them into the trash can. Some spilled over, scattering on the dark carpet.

Tony started to walk away before he paused and glanced at Steve, then back at the model city. Steve just stood in silence as Tony red the plaque on the side that read ‘The Key to the Future is Here.’ Tony yanked off the rest of the sheet covering it. This was what he had come for.

He studied it for a moment went something on the model caught his eye. It was a globe surrounded by little structures of some sort. It looked vaguely familiar and he closed one eye, bringing his hand up like a scope to focus on that one piece of the map. This had to mean something, he knew it did.

“Are you at least willing to help me load this thing in the car?”

~~~~~

A bit of disassembling and some bickering had the model broken down into four pieces sticking almost straight up in the passenger’s seat of the car. Steve was riding his bike behind Tony shaking his head at just how ridiculous a grown man in an expensive car looked riding next to this thing. Tony felt that he needed it though and if anyone could find some hidden meaning in this thing, it would be Tony.

More bickering occurred when they arrived back at the house, as they tried to figure out the best way to get the pieces down to the lab. Thankfully the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents helped to carry it down the stairs and Steve helped Tony put the model back the way it was so the man could get a better look at it. Once Tony was sure Steve had given Coulson the taser back, he went to work, blowing the road dust off of the model so that J.A.R.V.I.S. could scan it clearly.

“J.A.R.V.I.S. could you kindly Vac-U-Form a digital wire frame? I need a manipulatable projection.”

A blue sheen crossed over the physical model as the AI scanned it.

_1974 Stark Expo model scan complete, sir._

Tony lifted the model into the air and moved it over to the open space. Steve watched as the man spread it out. He was standing off to the side to keep an eye on Tony, but stay out of the way so he could work.

“How many buildings are there?”

_Am I to include the Belgian waffle stands?_

Steve smirked at the comment. Tony wasn’t quite as amused.

“That was rhetorical. Just show me.”

Tony placed it down, snapping his fingers and making the digital model spin like a top. He knocked it to stand up vertically as he pulled up a chair to sit down. Steve moved to stand behind him curious to see what he would do.

“What does that look like to you, Jarvis? Not unlike an atom. In which case the nucleus would be here.” Tony mused out loud. Steve had to admit, it did look like an atom. He didn’t know a lot about science, but he’d learned some over the years. Tony poked the sphere on the model. “Highlight the unisphere.”

The globe was highlighted in yellow and Tony pulled it out, enlarging it in his hands and twisting it back and forth in the space. He puzzled over the spear for a moment dropping his hands to get a better look.

“Loose the footpaths. Get rid of them.”

_What is it you’re trying to achieve, sir?_

“I’m discovering…uh…correction. I’m rediscovering a new element, I believe.”

Steve came closer to stand directly behind him. “You think your dad actually hid something in the model.”

“Watch and learn.” Tony looked back at him before focusing on the projection in front of him. “Lose the landscaping, the shrubbery, the trees parking lots, exits, entrances…”

With a swipe of his hand, all of the items Tony was calling out were disappearing before their eyes. That left only the unisphere and the surrounding buildings. Steve still didn’t see anything, but he trusted Tony’s intelligence to know that he was on to something. The man was too confident in his movements not to be.

“Structure the protons and the neutrons using the pavilions as a framework.” Tony expanded the sphere in his hands and they watched J.A.R.V.I.S. do as Tony asked of him. Tony muttered “Dad” under his breath as grabbed the sphere expanding it so that he and Steve were standing in the center of the projection. Hundreds of atoms surrounded them in a spherical pattern.

Steve looked up and marveled at the creation around him. “Son of a bitch.”

Tony glanced back at him raising an eyebrow. When Steve realized he was glancing he gave him a questioning look. “What?”

“You kiss Miss Carter with that foul mouth of yours, old man?”

“I’m a soldier, not a saint. Remind me to give you a hard time the next time you swear.”

“Noted.” Tony began to spin in his seat finally taking a good look at what was around him. “Dead for almost 20 years, and still taking me to school.”

Tony clapped his hand together, smashing the projection to fit in his hands. He laughed a bit, grinning at himself for figuring this out.

_The proposed element should serve as a viable replacement for palladium._

“Thanks, dad.” Tony commented only half paying attention to J.A.R.V.I.S.

_Unfortunately, it is impossible to synthesize._

“You mean it can’t be made?” Steve asked as Tony gave a disbelieving, “Uh-huh.”

Tony climbed to his feet. “Get ready for a major remodel, fellas. We’re back in hardware mode. Don’t go anywhere, Rogers. I might need you.”

~~~~~

Over the next several hours, Tony and Steve began to destroy the house. They had to measure and bash holes in the wall of the lab. They then had to jackhammer the floor to drop cords and ropes down. Tony had to mess with the power supply. He was gonna need a heck of an output to get this thing going. Next they were going to have to figure out a way to generate that power. Oh Tony had something for that too, but he had to be a little bit more ingenious about how he rigged the entire thing up. Between using an engine lift, a pile of books and other junk, and ironically, a power generator to prop everything up, it looked weird, but it worked.

It was only a matter of time before S.H.I.E.L.D. was going to come down and check on them, especially after they saw the damage to the house. Sure enough, Coulson came stepping down the stairs, using Steve’s code to walk into the lab.

“So this is what you’ve been doing.”

“Yeah.” Tony confirmed. “We’ve been at this for hours. Where have you been?”

“I was doing some stuff.”

“Yeah, well, me…us too, and it worked. Hey, I’m playing for the home team, Coulson, you and all your fabulous Fury Freak Brothers.” Tony chimed in as Coulson looked around. Tony put a level on top of his makeshift handy work to make sure it was even. He didn’t need this sucker falling apart on him when he needed it the most. “Now, are you gonna let me work or break my balls about the damage? Damage that I did to my own house by the way.”

Coulson wasn’t really paying attention as he pulled something out of the box. It looked like a prototype to one of Steve’s shields. “What’s this doing here?”

“That’s it.” Tony’s tone sounded like he just realized something important. “Bring that to me.”

“You know what this is?” Coulson asked glancing over at Steve. The older man shrugged nodding to his own shield propped up against the wall behind Tony’s motorcycle collection. Between Howard and Tony, several prototypes of the shield had been designed, but none but the original made of vibranium had gotten Steve’s approval. Vibranium had been rare to find before the war and now it was impossible to get hands on it, but Steve hadn’t needed a new shield since pulling the original out from under one of Howard’s work tables all those years ago.

Tony knew exactly what it was, but he had another use for it. “It’s exactly what I need to make this work. Lift the coil. Go, go. Put your knees into it. There you go. And…”

Coulson couldn’t see what Tony was doing, but Steve could. He almost laughed when he realized Tony was using the shield to help prop up the coil and make it level. Phil wasn’t going to be too happy about that, seeing as he had always been fascinated by Captain America’s story and anything to do with it. After so long working beside the man, Coulson had learned to tone down the fan boy, but this was possibly something that might upset him when he realized what Tony was doing.

“Drop it. Drop it.” Tony commanded and Phil let the coil rest on the objects holding it up. Tony went to grab the leveler and placed it on top. “Perfectly level. I’m busy. What do you want?”

“Nothing.” Coulson said, his face fairly neutral, but Steve could see the small tell that told him Coulson wasn’t happy with what Tony had just done with the shield. Maybe Steve could persuade Tony to give it to him when they were done. Coulson would like the shield for the history and what it symbolized it even if Steve never wielded the thing. “Goodbye. I’ve been reassigned.”

“Reassigned?” Steve asked. “Where?”

“Fury wants me to look into something at the field office with Agent Hill. If we catch a break, I might be headed out in a couple of days. Director Fury wants me in New Mexico if this all pans out. Wouldn’t mind the company.” Coulson hinted the last part. Technically Steve’s vacation was over, not that it really was much of one. As it was, Steve was looking forward to getting back to work.

“Maybe if we can get all this squared away before you head out. You know how to contact me.”

“I do.” Coulson turned back to Tony.

“New Mexico? Fantastic. Land of enchantment.”

“So I’m told.”

“Secret stuff?”

“Something like that. Good luck.”

“Bye. Thanks.”

“We need you.” Coulson gripped Tony’s hand for a hand shake.

“Yeah, more than you know.”

“Not that much.”

Coulson turned to leave, nodding one last time at Steve before heading out the door.

“All right, lover boy. Back to work.” Tony huffed. The lab was all set up now. This was going to be the hard part.

Tony dimmed the lights in the lab and put on some safety glasses. Gave a pair to Steve as well. Steve slid them over his eyes and Tony bit back the laughter. It was strange seeing the old man looking like he belonged in a lab. Maybe he could persuade Steve to put on a lab coat. Wouldn’t that be a riot?

“So what’s the plan?” Steve asked as Tony lifted a large industrial wrench and rested it on his shoulder.

“The plan is to make this new element and try not to die in the process.”

“You and your vague, sarcastic answers.” Steve muttered, still loud enough for Tony to hear.

“You still love me.” Tony shot back as he walked over to the coil. He dropped a crystal into the chamber and locked it into place glancing through the window to see the set up for the new element to go into. He was going to have to generate enough energy to heat up the triangle and get it to glow. Then and only then could they call this little experiment a success. “Just sit back and look useful. This is my mess, so I’ll do the heavy lifting.”

Tony placed the key into the machine, switching it on and yanking his shirt over his head, revealing the tank top underneath. He was getting all sweaty and would be even more so when all this was done. He was definitely getting his workout today.

_Initializing prismatic accelerator._ Jarvis called out. Steve crossed his arms, standing by in case Tony needed him.

The coil began to shake from the energy coursing through it. Tony did a little jaunty dash to the valve on top and gripped it with both hands. This was the hard part. Slowly he began to turn the valve and Steve watched as the prism began to slowly turn, bending the energy slightly in the coil.

_Approaching maximum power._ J.A.R.V.I.S. boomed over the humming of the machine.

The coil and the valve shook under the power. Tony couldn’t get a good enough grip so he reached for the wrench, attaching it to the valve and securing it, using it to help turn. The wrench rattled in his hands, but Tony held on firmly. Steve almost stepped in to help, but with the beam of light shooting through the window and cutting into the walls and beams setting it ablaze, running for the fire extinguisher was a better option.

“Whoops!” Tony yelled glancing back as he continued to go. Steve would put out the flames, he needed to finish this. A few of his towers began to fall from the force of the power, sending the contents crashing to the floor. Tony could only hope that the coil itself wouldn’t fall. That would bring a whole new slew of problems and he wasn’t ready to die yet.

After cutting through a cabinet and some reinforced shelving, Tony managed to get the beam to line up with the triangle. Now he just had to focus, keep it steady, which was hard to do with the sound of the fire extinguisher doing what it did best. Steve was trying to stay out of the line of fire and extinguish from a distance while alternating between watching Tony hold on to the violently shaking wrench and the creation of the new core. This was history in the making and Steve wasn’t going to miss out.

The triangle began to glow, brighter and brighter until it was blinding. Tony reached down and quickly flipped the switch off on the machine. The two men waited a few breaths and heartbeats as the light faded a bit, leaving the glowing triangle sitting in the singed case. Steve finished putting out the flames on the walls as Tony breathed in relief.

“That was easy.”

Tony ducked under the coil approaching the case. He pulled a box over to sit on reaching for a tool to pull the triangle out of there. Steve placed the extinguisher on the case with a clunky thud as Tony held up what he had created so they could both see.

_Congratulations, sir. You have created a new element._ Tony moved to place the element into the core of his modified arc reactor. The reactor took a moment to adjust before booting up with a slightly higher pitched hum than the one in his chest. _Sir, the reactor has accepted the modified core. I will begin running diagnostics._

Only then did Steve breathe out his own relief. “You did it. You actually did it.”

“Yeah, I did.” Tony said, sitting back on the box.

Steve turned away, attempting to rub the tension out of his face. He hadn’t realized just how much this had affected him until he received the release of relief. Tony wasn’t out of the woods yet, but this was promising. This sparked that small sliver of hope and brought it back to the forefront. Steve knew that the job wasn’t done yet, not by a long shot, but the fact that he felt like he could breathe again…it made a world of difference.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay an update! I am trying to get out of this writing rut and I'm doing much better at that this week. I've already got the next chapter ready with the exception of one more scene. I'm gonna finish that up and send it to my beta tonight and then I'm gonna work on the next chapter of Before We Go. My hope is, by next weekend I'll have an update for both stories. Thanks for your patience you guys and I will have a preview up on my writing Tumblr in a bit. I will be back next week with an update, I promise!
> 
> Please leave comments and kudos! I love to hear from you guys and I will answer questions. Also, feel free to follow me on my social media channels (listed below). Also check out my other stories and leave comments and kudos there!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram/Twitter:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (Still working on the next chapter! I'll get it out at some point.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 5 Posted - 04/12/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	41. Plotting Down to the Wire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hydra, Hammer, Vanko, Stark, and S.H.I.E.L.D. making last minute plans....and the showdown is about to begin

“Sir,” Zola’s voice came through the speakers of his office. “I have all the preparations made, but I am still uncertain of the outcome of this. There are many variables we cannot account for and I am concerned about the asset’s contact with Rogers.”

“I am certain his conditioning will hold. I do not like how someone so inferior stepped in to take another possibly valuable asset away from us. An example needs to be set, doctor.”

He was still fuming from finding out just how Justin Hammer snatched Ivan Vanko from his grasp. The men hadn’t been fooled by the commotion at the prison and had followed the breadcrumbs that Hammer had so carelessly left behind. Schmidt was confident in his men’s abilities to reclaim what had been lost, however he was the one to make the decision to recall the men. Hammer was a fool to think that Vanko would be willing to work with him.

In fact all the intel recovered showed that Vanko was not doing what Hammer had asked of him. There was evidence that the man was planning another strike against Stark. If it proved to be true, then it was better that Vanko was using Hammer’s resources over Hydra’s. If the man could prove himself and kill Tony Stark, Schmidt was willing to offer resources to the man to come and work for Hydra. But before any of that could happen, Schmidt was determined to make Hammer pay.

“It is extremely risky, sir. While I am confident in the asset’s abilities we are sending him without aid into a weapons expo. Hammer is supposed to be showing off fully weaponized drones as well as project War Machine. I’m just not sure he will be completely successful.”

“If he fails…if your asset is captured or killed, then he is not worth anything to Hydra. I let you have your project Dr. Zola. I let you experiment on the American soldier that somehow survived your initial experiments. I allowed him to be trained by the best men we had to offer over the many years. I have allowed you to used Hydra’s money and resources for him as a token for the loyalty you have shown to our cause all these years. If it is not prepared for the mission and fails, I will see to it that he is ripped apart piece by piece until there is nothing left of your asset. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Herr Schmidt.” The doctor’s voice was soft and gentle. It wouldn’t do him any good to keep Schmidt riled up.

“If you are so worried about his failure, make extra preparations so he does not fail. I expect great things from you Dr. Zola. I am sure you will not disappoint me.”

“No, sir. I will see to it that it is done.” Zola paused. “Is there anything else you would like to see done before I finish the preparations?”

“No. See to it that I am not disturbed for the rest of the night. I trust you to handle anything in my absence.”

“Yes, sir. Goodnight, sir.”

Zola moved on to a different computer on the Hydra circuit. He went down to where the soldier was being contained. The man had been out of his cryocell longer than Zola would have liked. Only a handful of men would even be in the room with the most dangerous living asset in Hydra’s arsenal. The four men were equipped with guns and command triggers in case things got out of control. The doctors and scientists scurried around the room, going over his vitals and checking the machinery of the bionic arm.

The solder sat there, face neutral, eyes focusing on a spot on the far wall. Zola studied the thing he had helped to create. This soldier had felled many of Hydra’s most troublesome enemies. Schmidt was the head of the regime. The soldier had become the fist, fighting and killing from the shadows…eliminating every target set in front of him. He’d never lost a fight or failed a mission.

Still, beneath the conditioning and training…behind that blank stare was what was once a simple man…a simple American soldier who had the misfortune of being caught not just once, but twice by Hydra. He had fought when he was first captured. He had been headstrong and semi-confident despite being weak and injured. Slowly between the drugs, the pain, the experiments…he had succumbed to Hydra’s wishes and fallen in line. If this man even had his own thoughts anymore, he certainly didn’t follow them or even react. Those lessons had been learned long ago.

“How is he reacting to the new medications?” Zola’s voice caused several of the scientists to jump.

“Very well, Dr. Zola. Though due to his increased metabolism we are having to increase the time between injections. Are you sure that you don’t want us to prep him for cryo-freeze?”

“Our leader has one more task for him before we put him under.” Zola scanned over the files monitoring the subject’s vitals and responses. He was stable and it seemed that being out of cryo for this length of time was having a minimal effect on him. This was good data for sure. Now it was time for a field test to see if it would sustain him as he carried out his mission over the next few days. “Continue to monitor him and stabilize him for transport in the morning. Make sure that he has all the equipment and is combat ready at that time. The Red Skull will not tolerate failure in this mission. Gentlemen your lives are on the line if the asset does not succeed. I am retiring to make other preparations and will be back at 0700 to give directions on how to proceed with the mission. Hail Hydra, gentlemen.”

The men all responded in the usual fashion. Zola knew that with their lives on the line the soldier was in good hands. Now it was time for him to finish his work for the day and maybe get ahead. After all, he didn’t need to sleep and deep down he knew the work was never truly done.

~~~~~

Across the world, Ivan was putting the finishing tweaks on his newer version of his arc reactor. He had to give it to Stark. The man actually gave him some good advice when he was talking to him the prison weeks ago. It was unfortunate that the knowledge passed on would come back and destroy Stark. Everything else would come crashing down after the deed was done.

His new bird was wandering around the work station poking and prodding at things. Ivan liked the company and the act of intrigue from the bird. His musing was cut off by the vibrating of his new cell phone. He reached up to hit the button on the handheld device in his ear, not bothering to even respond having a good guess who was on the other side of the call.

_Hey Ivan. I got Senator Stern here. Thought we’d swing over and look at some of the drone designs._

“The drone is not going to be ready.” Ivan muttered.

 _What do you mean?_ The idiot sounded confused.

“I can make presentation, not demonstration.” Ivan clarified. It was a good thing that the idiot didn’t realize what he was doing with the resources he got from the company. Oh yes, his new weapons, made of higher quality material from Hammer Tech combined with his brains, they would do the job.

 _What the hell is the difference?_ Ivan wanted to tell the man to buy a dictionary with all the money he had. Oh well, he could enlighten the idiot.

“Presentation. No fly. No shoot.”

 _Well, wait, wait_. Hammer paused as if to collect himself. _Wait, wait, wait. What can you make them do? I mean, this is a weapons demonstration._

Ivan thought about it. He could do a lot with the drones at this point, but he wasn’t going to. What could he make them do that wouldn’t waist bullets or fuel? “I can make salute.”

_You can make salute? What do you mean, ‘make salute’? What the hell does that mean, Ivan? This is not what we agreed to, okay? You promised me suits and then you promised me drones._

Ivan was only half paying attention. He attached his arc rector to his new whips. The blue glow and crackle was brighter and fiercer. Definitely a better output than before.

“Hey, man, everything will be okay.”

_This is not what I wanted._

Well this conversation wasn’t what he wanted. With a click, yank, and a flick of his wrist, the conversation was cut short and the earpiece was flung down on the table. It was only a matter of time before Hammer came strolling through the factory looking for him. It was time for him to hide his true objective and wait for the idiot storm that was coming for him. Then it was another waiting game until tonight.

Sure enough, a few hours later he could hear the sounds of squeaky shoes marching down the hallway to the lab he’d been working in. Hammer stepped into the room wearing his fine suit, a bit of stubble on his face and his expression was not that of the happy-go-lucky idiot that normally graced these little visits. No, Hammer was unhappy and not as dumb as Ivan had initially thought as two security officers followed the suit into the room.

“Hey, there he is. It’s the bird man.” Hammer’s tone was jovial. Ivan was slumped against the wall with his feet on the cot, the bird sitting on his knees as Hammer came around the corner to face him. Ivan was feeding the bird and stroking it, infuriating Hammer further. “Now you like the bird. Is that right? Is that your bird? I’m confused. You said it wasn’t, but now it looks like you’re the best of pals. You love that bird, don’t you? You know what? Take the bird.”

The last phrase wasn’t aimed at him, but to the security guy. The bird squealed at being grabbed and Ivan sat up, yelling, “Hey!” The bird began to squawk and flap its wings as it was placed in the sack. Ivan frowned. Oh how sweet it was going to be for Ivan to take back his bird from the men.

“Take his pillows, too. Both of them. And his shoes. Take his shoes.”

The guards did as Hammer asked of him. They yanked the pillows out from under his body and the shoes off of his feet. Ivan stared at them all coldly as they did this, but said nothing. These men were underestimating him. They failed to realize what he was and there would be swift and cold retribution. He’d already planned on taking down the moron with the money, but the guards…oh how they would pay most dearly for this.

“I took your stuff. How does that make you feel? Do you feel bad? Good. ‘Cause that’s how I feel!” Hammer began to yell poking himself in the chest. “We had a contract. I saved your life and you give me suits. That was our deal. And you did not deliver. I don’t know if you’re a genius or a fraud. I don’t know what you are.”

Hammer had stopped pacing the room and turned to look at him. Ivan wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of showing any emotion, but deep down he was seething. Hammer was like an open book though, his emotions clear. What he said next though, caught Ivan off guard a bit, but also sent his head spinning with ideas.

“Something really, really great fell into my lap. And if it hadn’t I’d be at your mercy tonight. Now I have a piece of Stark tech that I pimped out myself. And now your overpriced paperweights are gonna look like a backdrop to my demonstration. Do you dig what I’m getting at here?”

Ivan muttered something in Russian, not dignifying a translation. It seemed to fire Hammer back up again, he laughed humorlessly before he was back to shouting. “I don’t know if you know this, but I don’t speak Russian!”

Ivan didn’t even contemplate whether he was impressed with the man at this point. Hammer, his company, everything would be gone tonight. He refused to look at Hammer as the man continued.

“I’m gonna leave now. I’m gonna go to the Expo. Maybe I’ll even get laid. You see these guys?” He gestured to the body guards. “They’re your babysitters. They are not to be trifled with. When I get back, we’re gonna renegotiate the terms of our agreement. And you’re gonna make good on our arrangement because if you don’t, you’re gonna be exactly what you were when I found you, a dead man. You got that?” Hammer pointed to the television in the corner of the room. “Maybe you can watch me on TV.”

If Ivan thought anything of the man he probably would have scoffed at the threat. He listened as the man left, eyes narrowing in on his so called babysitters. He smirked managing an amused laugh. He’d killed bigger men before. Well, if he wanted his bird back and to set the new plan into motion, he was going to have to take them out and then he needed time to hack through the ridiculously weak firewall to find the project Hammer spoke of. Stark being attacked by his own creation, one programmed and ‘pimped’ out by Hammer. Yes, that was how he would start to ruin both of them.

~~~~~

The lab had been a pain to clean up, but in the early evening hours it was complete. Steve glanced out at the sunset from where he sat up in the lab windows above where Tony was putting away the last of the tools. It wasn’t entirely comfortable sitting up on the thin sill with one leg dangling down the wall and the other bent with his forearm resting on it, but after spending most of the day indoors, he wanted to see something than all the metal and dirt that surrounded him. He’d been cooped up here for days and was seriously considering taking Coulson up on his offer for Steve to help in New Mexico. This vacation, not so much a vacation. He was doing just as much work trying to help Tony as he would on a mission with S.H.I.E.L.D.

“Dummy, you, can we clean up this mess? You’re killing me. You know I don’t…”

Steve glanced over to see Tony standing in front of his desk the computers on with various displays. One was the Expo displaying Hammer and an article about his demonstration. The second was J.A.R.V.I.S.’s monitoring screen, displaying Tony’s vitals and keeping steady watch over him. The third screen ran the info on the diagnostic tests of the new reactor. Tony was leaning back against the desk, blocking Steve’s view to the Hammer article, his tank top having been removed to display the reactor and Tony was once again wearing the ugly robe he had been wearing that morning.

The sound of the phone beeping throughout the house cut off Tony’s rant at his robot hand. Steve looked up at the sound knowing that S.H.I.E.L.D. shouldn’t have turned communications back on again. Then again, with Coulson gone, he couldn’t consult with the man about S.H.I.E.L.D. protocol.

_Incoming call with a blocked number, sir._

“Phone privilege is reinstated. Lovely.” Tony spoke dryly turning around to look at his screens. J.A.R.V.I.S. answered the call. “Coulson. How’s the Land of Enchantment?”

_Hey, Tony, how you doing?_

Steve slid down from his perch at the sound of that voice. Heavily accented, choppy English, familiar…Vanko. Tony froze where he stood at the sound of laughter coming through the speaker.

_I double cycle._

“You what?”

_You told me double cycle’s more power. Good advice._

Although Tony couldn’t see, Vanko was smugly sitting on the floor of the lab, his feet dangling in a hole with his bird on his shoulder. His hood was up over his hair and blood smeared over the hand and phone. The lab was a minimal mess, but mostly because he had to tear up the floor to patch in a phone into Hammer’s system and not his battle with the guards. The bodyguards were dead, hanging by their necks from the ceiling by thick cables. Ivan was feeling rather smug that he had accomplished all of this in such a short amount of time and it was reflected in his tone over the phone.

“You sound pretty sprightly for a dead guy.”

 _You, too._ Ivan laughed and Tony pressed the mute button before giving his orders.

“Trace him.”

 _Sir._ J.A.R.V.I.S. began to do a search. Steve moved to stand next to the computer to be able to hear the words better. If Ivan Vanko was alive and well, this didn’t bode well for them.

_Now, the true history of Stark Name will be written._

“J.A.R.V.I.S., where is he?”

 _Accessing the Oracle grid. Eastern Seaboard._ What the AI was finding was highlighted on the screen.

_What your father did to my family over 40 years, I will do to you in 40 minutes._

Turned off the mute. “Sounds good. Let’s get together and hash it out.”

 _Tri-State area. Manhattan and outlying boroughs._ The search was getting narrower and narrower as J.A.R.V.I.S. focused in.

 _I hope you’re ready._ The click and the sound of the dial tone wasn’t good.

_Call trace incomplete._

Tony’s breathing was heavy as he began to look around as if the room had the answer. Steve punched his fist into the table leaving an imprint. “I’m calling S.H.I.E.L.D. They need to be briefed and we need the back up.”

“No.” Tony said as he looked between the screens with Hammer’s article and then back to the incomplete search. Then he glanced back to the new arc reactor. “I have to settle this. It’s what he wants. It’s personal for him and he’s made it personal for me.”

“What are you thinking?”

Tony didn’t answer him verbally. Instead he walked over to the new reactor, yanking the old one out of his chest and pushing the new one in.

 _Sir…_ J.A.R.V.I.S. questioned

“Tony…” Steve warned. He was ignored.

“You want to run some tests, run them. And assemble the suits while you’re at it. Put them together now.”

_We are unclear as to the effects…_

“Wait, suits?” Steve asked.

“I don’t want to hear it, J.A.R.V.I.S. And yes, Steve, suits.”

Tony coughed and gagged as the light seemed to increase of the reactor. With another cough he muttered, “That tastes like coconut…and metal…”

“Tony, are you all right?” Steve walked up to put a hand on Tony to steady him.

“Oh, wow, yeah!” Tony yelled out as the light became blinding. Steve had to shield his eyes, not saying anything despite still being concerned. Tony sounded excited, almost rejuvenated. That wasn’t necessarily a good thing when it came to Tony, but it was promising if it meant there was a chance he wasn’t dying. When the light dimmed again, Tony was still for a moment before he spun around.

“Come on, we’ve got an Expo to save.”

~~~~~

“What do you mean we have an Expo to save?”

Tony had taken off to another part of the house after his previous comment. Steve had been a bit stunned by Tony’s declaration and the stress of the week had crashed down that Steve had to take a minute for himself before chasing after Tony to where the man had some sort of secret lab in another part of the house. Steve was normally good at taking in difficult situations all at once, but between the secret lab, Tony’s weird behavior, and the pounding of his over taxed, sleep deprived brain, Steve was lucky he managed to get the question out.

“Vanko wants to take out my empire and tonight Justin Hammer is doing a demonstration at the Expo. I think he and Vanko are working together. Hammer has the resources to pull of the prison break and fake a death. He probably persuaded Vanko to work for him to come after me. Problem is, Hammer’s a grade-A moron that doesn’t know when to stop or shut up and if Vanko gets annoyed enough or Hammer does something to insult him, the chances of a double cross goes up a lot. Vanko is smart, too smart and he’ll go through Hammer to get to me. Drag both companies down at the same time.”

“We’re in California and the Expo starts in two hours. Even if we got a plane and a flight path, it’s still more than that. We need to contact S.H.I.E.L.D. and…”

_Sir. Both the Mark IV and SSM prototype are ready for deployment._

“Show me, J.”

A case against the wall began to move to reveal the contents on the other side. Steve wanted to groan.

“Don’t tell me.”

“Yup. We’re gonna fly, Captain. Time to go get that shield of yours and suit up. We’ve got a date with the Expo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!  
> So, I managed to do what I said I was going to do. I got a chapter up for this, I've got an update for Before We Go and I might possibly have a new project in the works that might be up as early as next week. I sent to my awesome beta to see what she thinks. I'm gonna wait until I have a couple of chapters written for that before I post it though, so we'll see about this.
> 
> I really like this chapter. I love adding Hydra and Steve to the mix of all of this. The Steve-Tony dynamic is always fun for me. I've had this finale planned out since I finished Iron Man and I've already got Thor in the works, thought I'm still working out some of the kinks with that one. I hope you all stick around for the ride. I will try to get another chapter out next week. I don't have off tomorrow, but I get a holiday day, so I am off on Thursdays, so I'm going to try and get some writing done this week.
> 
> Please leave comments and kudos! They make my day and really motivate me to get out more. Also, feel free to come find me on my social media channels. I'm trying to become more active on them all and I will try to post previews and updates.
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram/Twitter:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (Still working on the next chapter! I'll get it out at some point.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 6 Posted - 05/24/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	42. The Best Way Out Is A Bang Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day for Hammer to take up the stage at the Stark Expo has come, but nothing for him goes as planned.

“Tony, I’m not so sure about this.”

Steve didn’t know how he had let Tony talk him into getting into the suit, but it didn’t look like they had any other options. If they were going to make it from California to New York in record time, they were going to need something lighter and faster than a jet. That meant that they were going to have to use the suits to do it. Unfortunately, the SSM model was a little flamboyant, even for Tony.

“Stop complaining, Colonel. Let’s get this suit on and get going. We don’t want anyone to get hurt, so we’ve gotta go.”

“Blue with white stars, though. It’s horrible even for you.”

“It’s fitting for you. You know, the star spangled man. You don’t get any red though. It’s my color.”

Steve paused and glanced at the other man just as the red helmet slid on his head, but left the face plate up. “That’s what SSM stands for, isn’t it?”

Tony smirked before the plate dropped. “Well, you are the one and only.”

If Steve could bring himself to strangle the man at this point he would, but instead chose to focus on the other problem. “This isn’t done yet, Tony, but we’ve got other things to worry about, like how I’m going to fly this thing. I’ve never flown anything except a quinjet and that was only two times because I had to. I hate flying and you know I hate flying.”

“That’s what J.A.R.V.I.S. is for. I’ve been working on a program for him to access the suits remotely. Still got some kinks to work out, but it should help for now.”

Steve’s faceplate slid over his face and he was encased in darkness before the system booted up. It was like he was looking at a computer screen with a wide view of the room. Several icons popped up on the HUD, but the most important was a little orange blob that was wiggling in the air.

_I will be with you every step of the way, Colonel Rogers. If you have any questions, you need only ask._

“Thanks, Jarvis.” Steve huffed, still not believing he was doing this. The last time he did something without knowing the possible outcome, he went from a skinny little thing to what he was today. Still, knowing that didn’t stop the feeling of unease that went along with doing this.

“Okay, so I’m going to head outside. We’ll get the basics down and then you’re just going to have to figure out the rest, with a little bit of help.”

“That doesn’t sound like that’s a great id…”

“It’s a great plan. I came up with it and I’m a genius. So, let’s go.”

Tony began to walk to the entrance of the lab and out the door. Steve shook his head and followed him out after a minute. Steve thought Tony was doing this just to get some humor at his expense. Steve was going to have to come up with some way to get even for this at a later time. His mind needed to focus on the problems in front of him right now. This was going to be a long night.

“Okay, so I’m going to give you a quick flying lesson.”

“I don’t know if I want a flying lesson from you.” Steve shot back, not liking how constricting and heavy the suit felt around his body. It wasn’t the weight exactly, but the lack of movement. He wanted his reinforced, lightweight tactical gear and his shield. He felt more control with that, though he was happy when Tony slapped the shield against the metal back and a magnetic charge showed up on the HUD showing that Tony thought of that at least.

“All you need is faith and trust.” Tony paused a grin, slowly spreading across his face.

“Don’t you dare!” Steve threatened, immediately recognizing the words.

“And a little bit of…”

“Tony!”

Tony was smirking as he squeaked out in mirth. “…pixie dust.”

The man broke out in laughter unable to contain it. Steve glared at him.

“Peter Pan? Really! You are a child.”

“Sometimes. The real question is how much of a child you are since you knew the reference.” Tony agreed and when Steve started to look like he was really getting angry at all the teasing, he brushed it off and got back to work. “Right now, we’re in a bit of a rush, so you’re just going to have to accept that I am awesome and learn this. You think you’re ready for that?”

“Um…”

Steve didn’t have a clue what he was doing. He’d seen Tony do this so many times now that he should have been able to imitate him, but like everyone else, he needed time to learn it even if his mind was able to process it quickly.

“J. bring up the tutorial I made on the HUD, please. We’ll get you flying in a matter of minutes, Colonel. Just sit back, pay attention, and enjoy the ride.”

The tutorial had been catered to him. Maybe Tony paid more attention to others than he thought. J.A.R.V.I.S. was quick to go over the controls of the suit and then it was time to try hovering. The lights lit up on the HUD. The moment of the thrusters kicking in startled him and he floundered in the air.

“Keep your arms down and your feet parallel beneath you.”

It was difficult to fix his posture in the air, but somehow he managed doing as Tony suggested. Steve glance down to see he was about half a foot of the ground, the fire from the thrusters discoloring the concrete. He wavered slightly before stabilizing fully, hovering above the ground.

“Okay, I think I got it.”

At the words, the thrusters cut out and he came back down hard and off balance. With a startled cry, he found himself on his knees, staring at the ground.

“If you scratch the paint, you’re paying to have it redone.” Tony called, his face plate up to reveal his grin. Of course Tony wanted to see him do this with his own eyes. “There really isn’t a good way to land in these things. You just have to anticipate being off balance and compensate.”

Steve shook it off and Tony offered him a hand to help him up to his feet. “Okay, I can do that. What’s next?”

“Next. We fly.”

~~~~~

The dark skies above the expo lit up with a grand display of fireworks and other bright lights to reflect the presentation about to be made tonight. The main pavilion slowly filled up with people awaiting what was to come. Pepper was a little pleased by the sight of all the people as they drove up. It meant her efforts weren’t a total waste of time and the Expo was doing well enough to bring in all these people.

Natalie stepped out of the front seat and stepped around to the back to open the door for Pepper. Happy also jumped out of the car, but stayed on his side when he saw Natalie had it under control.

“I’ll keep the car down here, all right?” He knew that bad things always tended to surround these sort of gatherings and as head of security, even with Tony not being around, it was his duty to protect his people.

“Thank you, Happy.” Pepper sounded like she was in a much better mood, now that she was here. It was a relief to hear as he climbed back into the car to wait. As the women walked up to the pavilion, the announcer was making a last call for the man who would be showing off today. Pepper sighed. It was probably a good thing Tony wasn’t here.

_…Justin Hammer. His presentation will begin shortly in the main pavilion._

The two women made their way up the stairs and back down again to their seats just as the catchy music began to play from the stage speakers. The screen displayed the Hammer Industries logo with the words, advanced weapons systems, below it. Considering there was word that he may be getting the government contract back, this would be a make it or break it moment for him depending on what he had to show off tonight.

The man himself came strutting out onto the stage, dancing as he made his way center stage to begin his presentation. The people cheered and clapped at the display. Pepper just shook her head at the weird display.

“Yeah. That’s what I’m talking about. Thanks for coming.” Hammer said as he reached the podium. He took both sides of the top in his hand rocking it back and forth as he continued. “Ladies and gentlemen, for far too long, this country has had to place its brave men and women in harm’s way, but then the Iron Man arrived, and we thought the days of losing lives were behind us. Sadly, that technology was kept out of reach. That’s not fair. That’s not right. And it’s just too bad.”

Pepper rolled her eyes from where she sat. “Oh, Lord.” She didn’t need this today. Natalie glanced at her, keeping her face neutral in all of this, but even she could tell Pepper wasn’t really feeling this today. They’d probably leave before this was all over.

“Regardless, it was an impressive innovation, one that grabbed headlines the world over. Well, today, my friends, the press is faced with quite a different problem. They are about to run out of ink.”

That earned him a small bit of applause. He didn’t let his frown falter though. It was time for him to show what he’d brought along with him. After all, he wouldn’t win these Stark Industry fans with pretty words. Two workers came out and began to push the podium towards the back.

“Get that out of here.” He muttered it low so that it wouldn’t really register on his mic. Hammer took a moment to clear his throat and put both hands on his hips. “Ladies and gentlemen, today I present to you the new face of the United States military. The Hammer Drone!”

He held his hands out in a grand gesture before he pointed to the screen behind him. The imagery on the screen switched to military men and women walking towards the crowd. One by one, Hammer called out the branches of the military as the drones began to rise from beneath the stage.

“Army! Navy! Air Force! Marines!”

Patriotic music played in the background. As Hammer called out the different branches, the imagery changed from men and women to boats and planes and then to more people. He made a big show out of it. Out in the audience Pepper and Natalie were looking at each other confused. This wasn’t what they had expected out of Hammer. After all, the man’s company had a horrible record of quality. These things actually looked good in comparison, but nothing high quality like the Iron Man suit.

“Yeah. Yeah!” Hammer cried out as he got a better response from the crowd this time. They were clapping in appreciation “Whoo! That’s a hell of a lot better than some cheerleaders, let me tell you. But as revolutionary as this technology is, there will always be a need for man to be present in the theater of war. Ladies and gentlemen, today I am proud to present to you the very first prototype in the Variable Threat Response Battle Suit and its pilot, Air Force Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes.”

“What?” Pepper exclaimed out loud as she watched the darkened silver replica of the Iron Man suit rise from the center platform. There were definitely modifications, sure, but the layout of the suit was Iron Man at its core. It was more bulky with additions, including the large gun on its back. They were too late, the military had already made alterations to the suit. Rhodey had betrayed them.

Behind the scenes, Vanko was looking through the displays of his drones watching the spectacle. He was already putting in his codes to control them where he was. The man was already in the system hacking his way into the new suit rising from the floor. After all, it would be a better show if the crowd was attacked by a combination of both companies’ show of strength.

Rhodey looked around catching Pepper in the crowd before quickly turning away. Now wasn’t the time for him to be emotional. He’d explain it all to her later when things had calmed down and she wasn’t likely to throttle him for taking a suit. Instead he focused on the crowd, bringing a hand up to salute them. The drones and Hammer followed suit.

“For America and its allies, Hammer Industries is reporting for…”

The loud sound of propulsion could be heard over the music and the sound of Hammer’s voice. Two bright sparks were coming in hot from the distance, one clearly comfortable in flight. The other wavering a bit, but keeping up with the other one. No one needed an introduction to the bright red and gold figure as it zoomed in, landing in classic pose on the stage. The other figure, blue with white stars, came in a little slower, hovering a bit in the air above the stage before the thrusters cut out and it landed with a shaky thud. The pilot inside was a little off balance, but collected himself before he fell over.

Rhodey had a good idea who was in that suit, but he was more concerned at the man in front of him, his best friend who he had battled just days before this. No doubt this could escalate into another physical confrontation. Hopefully, Tony wouldn’t do it in front of all these civilians.

As Tony rose from his pose, the crowd cheered, clapping, climbing to their feet in excitement. That was one way to steal the show. Tony was unfazed and didn’t revel in it like he normally did.

“We’ve got trouble.” He said to Rhodey, not bothering to give any other explanation.

“Tony, there are civilians present. I’m here on orders. Let’s not do this right now.” He paused pointing to the blue suit. “Is that Steve?”

“It’s the star spangled man.”

“Tony,” Steve hissed. “You’re already in trouble with me for that fiasco. Don’t push it.”

“Give them a wave.” Tony said, ignoring the two men. “You too, Steve.”

“Hey, all right. Yeah.” Hammer added, coming to stand in front of them. He was going to use Tony’s arrival and the hype to his advantage.

“All these people are in danger. We gotta get them out of here. You gotta trust me for the next five minutes.”

“Yeah, I tried that. I got tossed around your house, remember?”

“He’s telling the truth.” Steve said, his faceplate flicking up, startling him slightly and earning another loud chorus from the crowd when they realized who was in the blue suit. “We gotta get the info out of him now.”

“Listen, I think he’s working with Vanko.”

Rhodey sounded puzzled now. “Vanko’s alive?”

Tony and Steve began to converge on Hammer who was still playing the crowd.

“Where is he?” Steve demanded.

“What?” Hammer asked in response.

“Where’s Vanko?” Tony clarified.

“Who?” Hammer looked genuinely confused.

“Tell us.” Steve growled out, not wanting to deal with this anymore.

“What are you doing here, both of you?”

This was going nowhere, quickly. Maybe Hammer didn’t know anything. At least, that’s what they were beginning to think when Rhodey began to speak again, this time in panic.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” His system lit up and the gun on his back moved to take aim.

Tony’s and Steve’s defense systems lit up and Steve’s faceplate dropped as a response.

“Is that you?” Tony asked.

“I’m not doing that. That’s not me. I can’t move. I’m locked up. I’m locked up!”

On the other side of the monitor, Vanko was feeling rather smug. This was turning out better than he would have expected. Tony and his Colonel had joined the party. He could take it out both of them at the same time. It was the perfect opportunity and all he had to do was sit back, relax, maybe punch a few keystrokes, and watch while he waited for the opportune time to exit for his planned finale. After all, he doubted that Stark would be finished off by his drones or Hammers ridiculous modifications to Stark’s suit. Still he would enjoy this.

Out in the audience, Pepper moved forward, only to be jerked back by Natalie. On stage all the drones activated, arms raise and guns turned to fire. Pepper looked on in horror wondering if this madness would ever end.

“Get out of here. Go! This whole system’s been compromised.”

At that announcement and the realization of what was going on, people were scrambling running for the exits in panic. Hammer dove off the stage comically to get out of the way as both Tony and Steve leapt into the air. Steve was still a little bit shaky, but Tony balanced with practice ease.

“Let’s take it outside.” Tony ordered before taking off towards the sky. Steve took off towards the side to confuse them, as the drones and Rhodey’s suit all open fire on the two men. Steve was feeling a little bit more confident about his ability to fly and J.A.R.V.I.S. was still instructing him, giving him tips on how to move his body in flight to avoid. All of the bullets that managed to hit ricocheted off his shield and away from him. The ones shooting upward shattered the glass and it rained down on the civilians.

“No, no!” Rhodey yelled through the coms.

Steve glanced back just in time to see Rhodey’s suit take flight followed by most of the drones. They were heading for Tony, but a handful were deployed to come after him.

“J.A.R.V.I.S., knowing how to use the weapons system would be helpful right now.”

_Certainly, your system was activated before the first shot was fired. Might I suggest use of the repulsors in your gloves?_

“Yeah, repulsors, right.” Steve muttered. As if it was that easy. Still the targeting system was online and he had to think of it like shooting a sniper’s gun, which he didn’t have any real experience with. It didn’t feel right holding one, not when it was Bucky’s weapon of choice in the field. Refocusing on the problem he spun in the air as J.A.R.V.I.S. instructed, using the targeting system to aim and fire.

He missed four of the five drones, though the one he did hit spun, slamming into the drone behind it. That meant two down. He flipped back on his back and began to lead the drones away from the pavilion. He veered, a hard right, narrowly missing a tree. The screen crackled as the tree partially exploded and burned as another drone was taken out.

He made another left, flying up above the trees and above the pavilion. People were still scrambling to get away and in the distance, he could see Tony leading Rhodey and the other drones away from all the people. The ones tailing him open fire again and Steve shot up, doing a bit of a loop and going back the way he came. He was hoping that the remaining two would collide, but they were still behind him.

_Colonel, might I suggest that you use your shield. There is a launch mechanism that will send it flying towards your enemies. You may also use the magnetic field to call it to your arm and launch it that way._

“Just how long were you going to wait to tell me that, J.A.R.V.I.S.?”

_Mr. Stark instructed me to inform you of that, if it looked like you were struggling, sir._

Steve took a deep breath as he could see the system light up with the magnetic and launch data for his shield. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever get the hang of this, but he was going to try.

Taking aim with the targeting system, and using some of his own throwing knowledge, he launched the shield, slamming it into the first target causing it to break apart in the middle. Using the magnetic pull he summoned it back, sending it through the final drone before it could fire the gun aimed at him and Steve caught the shield on his arm. Yeah, that was a bit more his style.

“Three out of five isn’t bad.”

_If you wish to take full credit for all five, Colonel. I would not mention it to Mr. Stark._

Steve smirked. “Thanks, J.A.R.V.I.S.”

~~~~~

This sucked. Tony knew he had his work cut out for him, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t ready for the fight. Steve was fine in his suit. Even if he was shot at, the suit would protect him better than his body armor could. No doubt, J.A.R.V.I.S. was already teaching some of the new tools in his arsenal. Now, he needed to focus on Rhodey and getting him back under his own control.

“J.A.R.V.I.S., break in. I need to own him.”

_Yes, sir._

It was a good thing the A.I. could multi-task. He just needed to focus on flying and dodging until he could get Rhodey back. That and keeping people safe. That was kinda a bigger priority.

“Tony, Tony, I’m locked on. I have target lock.” Rhodey warned in a panicky tone.

“On what?”

“On you.” Yeah, that should have been obvious. At least he was better at this than the puppet master behind the scenes. Nothing was a substitute for a man in a suit. Vanko was about to learn that the hard way. “Tony, on your six!”

Tony swerved, forced to fly back towards the expo. Rhodey’s bullets struck several of the windows in the vicinity. The drones were closing in, but he caught a glimpse of the remaining drones jump off the stage and head for the still fleeing crowd.

“Steve, if you can hear me, get back to the pavilion. Civilians are getting attacked by the drones that can’t fly.”

_On it!_ The man called from the coms. Tony saw the blue suit fly up and hover for a moment before he had to dive around another structure.

~~~~~

Hammer had recovered enough from his fall to limp backstage. This was not part of the plan. He needed to figure out what was going on and he needed to fix it or his reputation would be ruined.

“What’s going on? What’s happening?” He demanded from his tech people who had been running the show.

“The software’s been overridden.” The man explained.

“What? What do you mean it’s been overridden? What does that mean?” Hammer kept his tone low so that the Expo employees wouldn’t hear him as he yanked off the mic from his head. He was panicking on the inside and trying to keep his calm on the outside.

“I think he slaved the drones.”

Damn Ivan. “That’s impossible. Call the guards.”

“All the phones are down, sir.” Another employee said. He’d been trying since the whole fiasco had started and by now he was panicking.

“Well, then call their…” Hammer paused. There was nothing left to call, but he had to save face. “Call their cells.”

“Their cell phones are not working either, sir.” He was still trying pressing a phone to his ear.

“He’s locked us out of the mainframe.” The tech said, sliding to another computer.

“Who’s locked you out of the mainframe?”

Hammer wanted to curse his luck. Here was Pepper Potts approaching him with her one woman entourage. Both women looked clearly unhappy. He was so screwed.

“Please, please, go away. Go away.” He begged, trying desperately to get them out of here. “I’ve got this handled.”

Pepper was beyond pissed. Screw all the times she’d blasted Tony for his stupidity. Hammer didn’t have control over these things and they were stomping all over the Stark Expo…her expo. Oh no, she was not leaving until she had her answers.

“Have you now?” Pepper shouted in the man’s face. She’d always seen what had frustrated Tony about the man, but now she was furious with him for the same thing.

“Yes, I do. In fact, if your guy hadn’t showed up, this wouldn’t be happening. So please, now go away. Thank you.”

Hammer pointed out to where Tony was flying above the expo. Pepper was certain that was a lie and this would have happened anyway, but even after all Tony had put her through, she was angrier that Hammer was blaming this on him. Tony was hers to be angry at and she would defend him if he deserved it. This man was about to find that out.

Before she could move though, she saw Natalie putting down her purse on the floor, draping her jacket over it. The secretary walked smoothly towards Hammer and his men who were bent over the monitors. This was a woman with a mission and Pepper wasn’t about to stop her.

“Listen, we got to get these bitches out of here.” Hammer was saying to the men when Natalie grabbed his arm, twisting it behind him and moving him over to slam his head on the table. The man managed a garbled “what” before Natalie twisted harder. Pepper was a little stunned. She hadn’t expected that.

“You tell me who’s behind this. Who’s behind this?”

“Ivan. Ivan Vanko.” Hammer managed it out through his cries.

Natalie was leaning over him now. “Where is he?”

“He’s at my facility.”

Getting the basic information she needed, Natalie let go of the man with another twist and began to head off towards the car. It was time to shed Natalie and become Natasha once more. The Black Widow had a Russian to catch.

Pepper pulled her phone out of her purse. She dialed a number and pressed the phone to her ear.

“I need NYPD, please.”

“No, no, no!” Hammer pleaded and shouted. He wasn’t going out this way. Pepper just plugged her other ear.

“Command Central.”

“No, no, honey. Don’t call the authorities.”

“Okay. Right away. Right away.” She turned to Hammer who was throwing a mini fit where he stood. “Step aside. Step aside”

It was a command in her best authoritative voice. It was the same one that she used on Tony that usually didn’t work, but this man was not Tony Stark. He was a lesser man who bent to her order and moved out of her way. Pepper bent over the tech. This was what she knew best and if it was all she could do in her support of Tony, then she would do it.

“Tell me everything you know. Go.”

~~~~~

Tony was still playing dodge bullet with Rhodey and the drone heads. They were still shooting at him, destroying glass and endangering the civilians. Tony had to do something, but what?

“How are we doing, J.A.R.V.I.S.?

_Remote reboot unsuccessful._

He swung by Steve who was taking out several of the drones by ripping off their heads. Well, at least that was semi-effective, but several other drones were slipping past, launching small missiles at the crowd. The missiles were more of a distraction, but they were an effective one. Several of the mini gardens and decorative pieces were being blown sky high and burning in a fiery eulogy.

~~~~~

Ivan was leaning back in his chair, amused by the chaos on his screen. Despite Rogers managing to destroy a few of his drones, he was still in a good mood. Tony was trying to regain control of the other suit, but Ivan wasn’t about to let that happen. He punched in a few commands on his keyboard and sat back to watch his drones continue to do his dirty work.

The fun was just beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it's been a long two weeks for me. Had some stuff going on and this chapter was kicking my butt. I ended up splitting it in two because it got way too long. I sent part II to my awesome beta and that'll be up next week. Sorry this is up so late, but only two more chapters (I think) and we'll be heading into Thor. I hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! I think my favorite part was putting Steve in his own Iron Man suit and I do love all his snarky arguments with Tony. Prepare for the feels next week!
> 
> I will be back next week, but for now, please leave comments and kudos. Let me know what you think! Check out my other stories and follow me on my social media channels. I enjoy hearing from you all!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram/Twitter:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (Still working on the next chapter! I'll get it out at some point.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 6 Posted - 05/24/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	43. The Best Way Out Is A Bang Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanko initiates his endgame and things get extremely chaotic as the battle comes to a close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional warnings for this chapter. There will be some blood spilt, so I wanted to give you guys fair warning in the beginning of this that this is a battle and things do get bloody.

Natasha was calm as she stalked her way to where Happy was standing outside the venue. He had his phone pressed to one ear and a finger in the other to block out the screaming. The man was fairly calm considering the swarm of people running past him.

“Nobody’s answering their phones. What’s going on?” He yelled over the screaming.

“Get in the car. Take me to Hammer Industries.” It was an order that screamed she wasn’t in the mood to be argued with.

Happy wasn’t very happy. “I’m not taking you anywhere.”

“Fine. You want me to drive?” She spun on her pumps to glare at him as she stood in front of the driver’s door.

Hell no, that wasn’t happening. “No, I’m driving. Get in the car.”

He dove for the driver’s seat while she climbed into the back. The tires screeched on the pavement in warning as they rushed through the sea of runners and out onto the road.

~~~~~

More of the drones were moving in to position, stopping on the stairs and firing machine guns and missiles, not to hurt the crowd per se, but to cause maximum damage. They were programmed to recognize the Iron Man mask and fire at the target when in sight. Some braced themselves on the stairs as they shot up to the sky.

The blue and white blur sped above them, coming to land between him. Steve was getting used to the weight of the suit and the aspect of flying as he slammed his shield into the nearest drone and kicked at the one across from it. The drones turned to fire at him, but he was quick to take to the air so the drones ended up shooting each other and blowing up. Steve was blown back, tumbling a bit at the force.

“I hate flying. I’m never flying in a suit again after today.”

_What are you complaining about now?_ Tony’s voice came through the coms.

“How many ways I can destroy this thing I’m wearing.” Steve hissed as he righted himself and sped off to the next area under attack.

_You’re not allowed to destroy it. It’s my property. I own it._

“Watch me.”

Tony was flying overhead towards the next set of drones. They were already firing at him, but they missed, hitting one of their fellow drones instead and sending it crashing to the pavement, narrowly avoiding the chaos. Tony zeroed in on a marching drone who was heading straight for a kid. The kid was standing there on the sidewalk, unafraid, wearing an Iron Man mask and glowing toy gauntlet. Yeah, this wasn’t going to end well.

Tony cursed and dived as the kid held up his hand out towards the drone. The drone cocked its gun as Tony landed, confused by the duplicate suit. It was the split second Tony needed as his repulsor charged and fired, knocking the behemoth back, to the ground. The kid jumped back getting a glimpse of the suit before Tony was in the air once more.

“Nice work, kid.” He managed to get up and out into the air before worrying about the fight going on around him again.

_You got multiples coming in on you._ Rhodey’s warnings really helped him out.

“Let’s get this away from the Expo. Steve, you’re on your own taking care of the stragglers.”

_Do I have a choice?_ Steve sounded frustrated and resigned at the same time. Tony didn’t want to leave him alone. He just wasn’t the best option to help at the moment.

“I’ll be back.”

Tony zipped through the air, weaving widely and side to side in order to avoid giving Rhodey or the drones a direct shot. It was time for another gripping round of air dodge bullet and he was the last man standing.

~~~~~

Happy sped around the corner, thankful that the roads were clear. He shouldn’t be doing this. In fact, he should have found Pepper first, but he was first and foremost a gentleman and it was his duty to escort Natalie wherever she needed to go.

Natalie was sitting in the middle of the back seat. Casually she began to let her hair down while staring out the window.

“When we arrive, I need you to watch the perimeter. I’m gonna enter the facility and take down the target.”

Nope, not happening. He almost told her that, but as he glanced back he got a mirror full of half-naked chick with black undergarments. A car horn snapped him back to reality and he swerved back on his side of the road.

“Watch the road.” She snapped.

“I got it. I got it.”

~~~~~

Tony zoomed through the air towards the interstate and the parking for the Expo. Most of the people had been shuttled to the main buildings and had nowhere to go in the chaos seeing as their cars were all here. Then again, that may partially be a good thing.

He dove down underneath the road, dodging the support beams holding the highway above them. He sped past cars, setting off a few alarms, only to be outdone by the drone patrol as a chorus of sirens joined into the fray. He dodged the bullets coming his way, making a sharp turn and feeling the impact as a drone slammed into a pillar. After a moment, a few of the drones broke off, heading back where they came from.

_Listen. Listen. A pack just peeled off. They’re headed back to the Expo._

“Got it.” They had to end this and get back. He dodged a few small missiles launched is way.

_I’m closing in on you. Ordnance coming in hot, Tony. Watch it._

Rhodey’s gun started firing, hitting the cars on the ground and lighting them up. Tony swung side to side, avoiding as the gun followed his movements. The cars flipped, blowing up as the gas tanks ignited, and Tony was forced up and back out into the open air to avoid being swallowed by flames. Time to make that U-turn and come up with another plan.

~~~~~

The silver Audi pulled right up to the doors of the facility. Natasha and Happy both jumped out of the car and started for the door.

“Stay in the car.” Natasha ordered.

“I’m not staying in the car.” Happy wasn’t letting her go in alone.

“I said stay in the car.” She bit out between clenched teeth. She wasn’t in the mood for games right now.

He rounded the car and caught sight of the tactical suit she was wearing. So that’s what she’d been doing. Where did it come from?

“What are you wearing?” He managed to get out as she climbed up the stairs to the door. Now to hack her way past the security and get the door open. She glanced around her utility belt…and ah ha, that’s what she needed. “Look, I’m not letting you go in there alone.”

She didn’t need his help. She needed to focus on this.

“You want to help. Keep the car running.”

“Okay.”

Her little hack did the trick and the door opened, but it wasn’t a secure entry so the alarms began to sound. Happy got to the door first, forcing his way in before her and was met by the security guard at the desk.

In his room, the screens warned Ivan of the breach. It didn’t surprise him that someone would try to foil his plans on this end. Well, he had other plans already set into motion. He punched in his last few commands into the system and stood up, patting his bird one more time. It was time for him to make his exit and execute his finale.

Back in the lobby, the security guard came around the desk. “Hey, hey, hey! You can’t come in here.”

Happy didn’t wait for him to finish as he swung his fist into the man’s face. His boxing was going to pay off for him today, or at least he hoped it would. Natasha casually walked past the two dueling men, actually appreciating the distraction. She stepped through the glass doors anticipating the men that would be coming for her. Happy called out to her as she slid across the floor, throwing a couple of stingers at the man she slid past.

The man did a funny little dance before dropping, stunned and unconscious, to the ground. In the lobby, the two men traded blows as she moved onto her next oncoming target. Leaping over a cart and spinning in the air, she used her momentum to knock target two down with a kick to the head. Number three was coming for her, but she slid between his legs and knocked him to the ground by taking out the back of one knee. Four came from the opposite direction.

Using three as a springboard, she knocked him completely down and out while grabbing four’s head between her thighs. With the momentum she dragged his head down so that it hit the linoleum with a resounding crack.

~~~~~

Back at the expo, Steve took out another drone by smashing its head down into its body with his shield. He glanced up as Tony flew above him followed by his entourage. Steve watched as one of the pursuing drones knocked into a screen before crashing into the ground. It started to get back up, so Steve used the repulsor to blow it back into a post where it slumped down to the ground. He could only tiredly watch as more drones took to the air from the main pavilion. If he could just get a break, a small little break to catch his breath and get this suit off of him, he would be good, but that wasn’t happening.

Inside the pavilion, the tech was giving Pepper the information that she was asking for.

“Each set of drones is communicating in its own unique language.”

“Well, choose one and focus on that.” She directed.

Hammer yanked his glasses and ran a hand through his already destroyed hairdo. “Have you tried Russian? Why don’t you try Russian?”

~~~~~

Happy was getting the crap beat out of him. He was a tough man, but getting his head slammed into the nearest table or kneed in the gut wasn’t pleasant for anyone. He had to get the upper hand and help Natalie. No doubt other guards were on their way.

Natasha took a corner, listening as words came over a portable radio.

_Attention. We have intrusion on Grid W._

“We got it. We’re on our way.”

The warning came too late for the guards as she threw a pair of mini, flash and smoke bombs. She swiped the feet out from under target five and brought her knee up into target six’s face. Target seven came at her swinging a baton, but she pulled out a thick cable, catching the stick and punching the large man. She got the cable around his neck as seven and eight peeled around the corner. They were easy to take down with a few well-placed jabs and kicks. She yanked seven to the floor turning around to look for the next target.

Six managed to get up again, holding pepper spray in his hand. She grabbed the wrist, spinning him to the floor before he could use it. Nine came around the corner in a run and went down after she grabbed and thoroughly twisted his arm until it cracked before kicking him to his knees than head. He was also carrying pepper spray, so she grabbed it. After all, it could prove useful.

Climbing back to her feet she began to stalk her way towards where she thought Vanko might be. The door to her right opened and an oblivious guard stepped out. He looked up just in time to have the spray hit him in the face and burn his eyes. Natasha made a show of tossing the canister behind her at the bodies left in her wake before disappearing. She had a mission to complete and didn’t have time for any more distractions.

Happy hated to do it, but he wasn’t winning the fight. He was going to have to break his own rule and do some dirty boxing. After taking a few more blows, he managed to get a good grip on the guard before leaning in and biting on his ear. The man screamed in pain, yanking out of Happy’s hold to cover his ear. He punched the man in the gut and then with a strong uppercut, went for the TKO.

Happy was grinning as he looked down at the man. He took a few heavy breaths before glancing up and shouted, “I got him.”

Instead of being greeted by Natalie, he could only see the line of bodies unconscious on the floor. One man was strung up by a cable and fighting to free himself from his noose. It was a losing battle as he passed out from the lack of oxygen. Okay, so maybe his knock out wasn’t all that impressive, but it was his big moment. He owned it and he was going to brag to Natalie and anyone else who would listen. He just had to find her first.

Happy caught up with his partner in crime just in time to see her kick down a door, guns blazing in hand. Other than the two dead guards hanging from the ceiling and a laboratory well destroyed, no one else was in the room.

“He’s gone.” Natasha huffed as she crossed the room heading for the console. Time to try and work her tech magic.

~~~~~

Tony dropped down just above the fountains before racing off towards the unisphere. He had a plan, one he was absolutely sure Rhodey was going to kill him for. At least the drones would all bite it if he pulled this off.

“Rhodey, you still locked on?”

“Drop your socks and grab your Crocs. We’re about to get wet on this ride.”

Tony dropped a little lower to dive through the shooting water. It would distort the targeting systems a bit as they got closer. He knew the moment Rhodey realized what he was doing from the shouting.

_Wait_ , wait, wait!

Tony would have smirked if he wasn’t focused at this point. Accelerating, he sped forward shooting up through the sphere following the path J.A.R.V.I.S. created for him. Pausing for two seconds inside the sphere. He jetted straight up watching as the drones collided with the metal continents and creating a flaming masterpiece. Tony zoomed around a tower, keeping his eye out for his friend. Rhodey had followed him up, avoiding collision, but now the man wasn’t in sight.

“I’m sorry, buddy. Had to thin out the heard. Steve, how are things back at the Expo.”

_I took out all the drones in the vicinity, but some disappeared. I’d rather try and get these civilians to safety than chase them. I’m going to go find Pepper and coordinate with her. She’s safe, by the way. J.A.R.V.I.S. found her. She’s trying to help the Hammer Industries tech team stop the drones._

“Never had a doubt about that. Keep her safe for me. Rhodey, what’s your 20?”

Instead of a verbal answer something slammed into him from above. His HUD managed to recognize Rhodey’s suit before they were tumbling into the Oracle Dome and slamming into trees and rocks and man-made rivers as they rolled from the force. Tony was debating whether he deserved that, but knew he had other things to worry about.

Getting to his feet, he charged Rhodey, but the man flipped him onto his back in the middle of the river, climbing on top of him. The gun shifted and Tony managed to grab it as it began to fire. The communication had to be down on Rhodey’s suit because he couldn’t hear anything from the man. Right now his goals came down to two things. One, not to let himself get shot, and two, think of something quick or he was really going to be in trouble.

~~~~~

Natasha typed away on the keyboard at top speed trying to find the exploit that would get her into the suit and get control back. Tony was going to need it if what she was reading on the screen was correct.

“What are you doing?” Happy asked as he came up to stand behind her.

“I’m rebooting Rhodey’s suit.”

It took a minute for her to gain full access and reboot the suit. She opened the communication lines to Stark and Steve just in time to see Rhodey’s suit go dark and then flying through the air to crash on the grass a few feet from Tony.

“Reboot complete.” She told them as Tony and Steve’s face lit up on her screen. “You got your best friend back, Stark.”

_Thank you very much, Agent Romanoff._

Steve nodded to her. _Good work, Natasha._

She smiled at Steve before turning her attention back to Tony. “Well done with the new chest piece. I’m reading significantly higher output and your vitals all look promising.”

_Yes, for the moment, I’m not dying. Thank you._

_What do you mean you’re not dying? Did you just say you’re dying?_

Pepper’s voice doubly echoed as her face appeared on a different screen. Hammer’s boys had managed to get access to the mainframe moments earlier and Steve was standing next to her, still in the suit. His faceplate popped up and he looked extremely tired as Pepper glared back at him. He shrugged. This was Tony’s mess after all.

_Is that you? No, I’m not. Steve, tell her I’m not. Not anymore._

_You’re on your own with this one, Tony._ Steve shot back. Pepper went from glaring at him to glaring at the screen and Tony.

_What’s going on?_

_I was going to tell you. I didn’t want to alarm you._

_You were gonna tell me? You really were dying?_

Natasha watched the screens back and forth with renewed curiosity. No wonder Miss Potts had been acting so cold to Stark. He never told her. There were obviously some feelings there between them, but they were both obviously confused and lacking in communication skills.

_You didn’t let me._

_Why didn’t you tell me that?_ Pepper sounded distraught.

_I was gonna make you an omelet and tell you._ Tony raised his voice a bit. Not his fault, he had tried at Stark Industries the day before and she was too mad to listen. Well, maybe it was his fault. A little bit his fault.

“Hey, hey.” Natasha cut in. “Save it for the honeymoon. You got incoming, Tony. Looks like the fight’s coming to you.”

_Tony do you want me to head to your location?_ Steve asked.

_No, stay there and protect the people. There’s a chance these goons will head back there. Rhodey’ll have my back, once I drag him out of the water. I’ll call if I need you. Pepper?_

_Are you okay now?_

_I am fine. Don’t be mad. I will formally apologize…_

_I am mad!_

_…when I’m not fending off a Hammeroid attack._

_We could have bene in Venice._

_Oh, please._

Tony let her have the last say as he flipped up his face plate and marched over to the other suit, flipping it face up in the water. He tapped on the helmet to get Rhodey’s attention. The suit should be fully back online in a moment.

“Rhodes? Snap out of it, buddy. I need you.” Tony looked up and out for any incoming surprises. “They’re coming. Come on, let’s roll. Get up.”

Rhodey’s faceplate snapped up and the man looked a little dazed, out of it. He blinked rolled his eyes and shook it off, focusing on Tony’s face. “Oh man. You can have your suit back.”

Tony smirked and helped the man back up on his feet. “You okay?”

“Yeah, thanks.” There was an awkward pause and Rhodey looked away for a moment. “Tony, look, I’m sorry, okay?”

“Don’t be.” Tony shrugged it off. If he had to pick a replacement there was no better man than Rhodey to take up the Iron Man mantle. That and he really had been a drunk asshole the other night.

“No, I should have trusted you more.”

“I’m the one who put you in this position. Forget it.”

“No. It’s your fault. I just wanted to say I’m sorry.”

“Thank you. That’s all I wanted to hear. Partner.” Tony gestured to the forest. “They’re coming in hot, any second. What’s the play?”

Tony had never done this before. Worked with his best friend in another suit in close combat. This was started to feel a little weird, but being the military man that he was, Rhodey had more experience working as a team than he did. He’d trust the man’s judgement.

“Well, we want to take the high ground, okay? So let’s put the biggest gun up on that ridge.”

“Got you.” When they started walking together, Rhodey glanced back confused. He had the biggest gun. It was on his back. Tony wasn’t looking at him.

“Where do you want to be?”

“Where are you going?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I meant me.”

“You have a big gun. You are not the big gun.”

“Tony, don’t be jealous.”

“No. It’s subtle, all the bells and whistles.”

“Yeah.” Rhodey nodded. He wasn’t going to let Tony do this to him. Not after he apologized. He was going up on that ridge. “It’s called being a badass.”

“Fine.” Tony paused pointing to the ridge. “All right. You go up top. I’ll draw them in.”

Rhodey began to move forward but stopped when he realized Tony was staying put. “Don’t stay down here. This is the worst place to be.”

“Okay, you got a spot. Where’s mine?”

“It’s the kill box, Tony. Okay? This is where you go to die.”

There was a sound, a flaming propulsion and the first drone dropped on the ridge where Rhodey had wanted to set up. They were a little too late for that one. Two more landed behind them. One by one, drones dropped from the sky creating a ring around them. It was a little late now to get out of the kill box. Right now they were going to have to wing it. The two men stared down their mechanical enemies as their faceplates dropped. Gunfire, missile blasts, repulsors blaring in rapid succession. A few closed in, and Tony took them out by kneeing one in the face breaking it and the other he took a tip from Steve and ripped off its head. He threw one across the landscape, punched a couple, and dodged a missile.

Rhodey was firing rapidly from his guns, effectively obliterating the outer shell of the drones. So much for quality. Tony raised and arm and returned fire blowing up three drones at once.

“See that?” He asked his buddy.

“Yeah, yeah, nice.”

They continued to fight on, but it was getting to be a little bit much and both were taking damage from the drone’s bullets and Tony had some scuffs from his hand to hand work.

“Rhodey, get down.” He yelled it bringing his arms up. Time to show Rhodey something cool. Rhodey dropped down to a crouch and Tony let the long range lasers fly, cutting through the remaining drones, and a few trees, and the bridge on top of the ridge. It was still cool and Rhodey didn’t have it.

“Wow.” Rhodey sounded genuinely impressed. “I think you should lead with that next time.”

“Yeah. Sorry, boss. I can only use it once. It’s a one-off.” With a click, the metal pieces that focused the lasers popped out and fell to the ground. That was the only lame thing about that move, the one time use.

~~~~~

Pepper was getting a little fed up with Hammer and his games. Steve was standing off to the side, his faceplate still up waiting for news on his coms while they figured this out. He’d already been in touch with Natasha and the S.H.I.E.L.D. director about what had been going on here. Apparently aside from her spy turned assistant, most of the important S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had been out west and were flying in to assess and assist, but they were still hours out. The most they could help with was the cleanup.

“I told you that five minutes ago.” Hammer yelled at his tech guy. He sounded tired and resigned.

Pepper turned at the sound of footsteps as the police came towards them. She kept her face neutral as she turned and looked at Hammer. “That’s your guy here.”

Hammer looked confused glancing between here and the cops. “Excuse me?”

“You’re being placed under arrest.” One of the officers informed him and began to read him his Miranda rights. The one who spoke grabbed his wrist and he jerked away.

“Are you kidding me?”

“Hands behind your back, sir.” Another officer instructed. They turned him around and began to secure the handcuffs.

“I’m trying to help here.” Hammer paused and laughed glancing at his people, then back to Rogers, then Pepper. “I get it. I see what you’re doing. You’re trying to pin this on me, huh? That’s good. That’s good. You’re starting to think like a CEO, taking out the competition. I like that. You think you’re making a problem for me? I’m gonna make a problem for you. I’m going to be seeing you again real soon.”

The man was patted down and then the officers turned to lead him away. That was when the shot rang out. Pepper screamed as her face was splattered with the blood and Hammer slumped to the ground a bullet wound directly on his temple. The police, everyone, dove for cover, weapons drawn if they had them.

Steve saw the flash of metal first and saw Pepper ducking under a table. There was no mistaking the man dressed in all black, hiding in the shadows. It was the soldier from Monaco.

“Protect Miss Potts and the men.” He shouted to the officers. “I’m in pursuit.”

The soldier was already on the run, jumping from fixture to fixture in the rafters, a sniper’s rifle slung across his back and a utility belt with knives and bullets at his waist. A small machine gun was strapped to the back of his uniform and a handgun strapped to his thigh. He had come to kill, but they didn’t know if Hammer was the only target tonight.

Steve used the thrusters to rise and maneuver through the space to catch up with the man. The soldier turned bringing the riffle back up to fire, only for Steve to knock it away and slam into the man, driving him down and through a glass wall in the pavilion. The soldier hit the ground hard, flipping and using his metal arm to slow his momentum to a stop. Mud caked his glove and metal fingers as he stood, blue eyes blazing with frustration and a bit of pain.

Steve couldn’t shake off this feeling. The feeling that he knew this man, though there was no way for him to have met this man before. Even if they had fought before Monaco, Steve would have remembered. That arm, the outfit, the precision with a weapon…Steve would have remembered that.

The man looked confused, a little disoriented before his gaze steeled over. Eyes turned cold and calculated, as if a switch was flicked and the only thing left was the cold soldier he remembered from Schmidt’s hotel room. Steve felt like he had to try and reason with the man. It probably wouldn’t work, but the twisting feeling in his gut wouldn’t subside until he tried.

“I don’t know what’s been done to you, but I can help if you let me.”

The man just continued to stare coldly at him. His eyes narrowed, focusing on the faceplate. Maybe if he saw his face. Steve flicked the face plate up, tried to look sympathetic.

“I want to help you. I don’t want to fight you if I don’t have to.” He paused when he still didn’t get a response. “Can you understand me?”

“Nyet.” The man spoke low, the word slightly muffled by the mask but was very much the Russian word for no. As to what the man was saying ‘no’ to, Steve couldn’t say, but when he reached back and grabbed the machine gun off his back, the message was obviously clear.

Steve dropped the faceplate and took to the air to dodge the bullets. He knew that the suit was somewhat resistant, but some places were weaker than others. He dodged the spray of gunfire, bringing his hands up to fire his repulsors. The soldier flew back again from the force landing on his back with a loud thud.

Steve stopped the assault as the man lay there for a moment, clearly in pain. Steve knew the force of the repulsor blast, having been knocked into a wall by one back when Tony was testing flight stabilizers. Granted it had been Tony flying into him from the force and not an actual blast, but despite the serious danger he was in, his gut wouldn’t let go.

“Last chance I’m giving you. You can turn yourself in and we can help you, or you’re not leaving me another option than to take you out.”

~~~~~

Pepper and the officers were quick to recover while Steve took care of the soldiers. She’d been the ones to call the police in, now she needed to lead and give them instructions. Their biggest priority was to get the people out of here.

“When they get here, I think you should station them at the south, east, and both west exits.” She suggested to the men.

“We shut down the seven train and out of Willets Point already.”

“Well, have city buses there to ferry people to operating lines.”

“Yeah.” The man turned to look at her. “Are you coming with us?”

“No, I’m gonna stay till the park is clear.” It was the least she could do considering the mess.

“Okay.” The officer nodded and began to lead the men away, giving them their orders.

Pepper looked out at the park. All of her hard work to get this off the ground for Tony had just gone to waste in the last hour. Tony was still fighting. Rhodey was still fighting. Steve was still fighting. She swallowed the knot in her throat as she took a deep breath. They weren't there to help her. She was going to have to use that legendary backbone of hers and stand firm in this adversity. After all, it was the least she could do for them too.

~~~~~

_Heads up. You got one more drone incoming. This one looks different. The repulsor signature is significantly higher._

Natasha sent the information to Tony’s HUD. Tony had a moment to glance at his screen when he and Rhodey turned to look up at the whooshing sound coming from above. It sounded like an airplane flying by, but it sounded a little distorted. Through the clouds, they could see twin dots getting closer to them as a monstrous suit dropped from the air.

The metal was a dark color, the helmet an odd version of the faces of the other drones. As the suit stood, the helmet fell away, revealing Vanko inside.

“Good to be back.” Ivan said with a nod and a curl of his lips.

“Oh, this ain’t gonna be good.” Rhodey said, not taking his eyes off of Vanko.

With the flick of his arms, two long whips crackled as they slammed into the earth. They were glowing a bright whitish-blue. They were bigger, badder, and more powerful than the ones he’d swung on the race track.

“I got something special for this guy. I’m gonna bust his bunker with the Ex-Wife.” Rhodey stepped forward, as his shoulder plate moved for the weapon to rise up.

“With the what?” Tony had no clue what Rhodey was talking about.

There was a big show, the missile firing up, and shot out directly at its target…only to bounce off and fall to the water at Vanko’s feet, fizzing out pathetically.

Tony sighed. “Hammer tech?”

“Yeah.” Rhodey was embarrassed now. Ivan was grinning with absolute glee at the failed attempt.

“I got this.” He marked several points on Ivan’s face and body as targets, letting his own weapons silos rise from his shoulder guards. They shot out, but Ivan’s helmet slid quickly into place deflecting all the shots. Even his own reactor was protected behind strong glass and a reinforced plate.

Spinning the whips in his hands so they left their marks on the ground, he swung, striking between the men and sending them scattering. This was his game, but he would toy with them before they would see their ends.

Rhodey got to his feet first and opened fire. The crackle of the whip came too close to his face as the gun on his back was sliced clean through. He could only look on in shock as Tony took to the air, only to be caught by a whip and slammed back down to the water. Tony skidded and sparked until he hit a boulder. Neither man was willing to give up though. Rhodey continued to fire on Vanko, if only to slow him down.

Vanko ducked down, blocking his reactor, and Tony took the moment to charge him. Ivan caught him slamming him through a Chinese gateway before snapping a whip to wrap around the throat of the darker suit. Rhodey grimaced as things sparked and then he yelled when his body was pulled towards Vanko. Vanko punched him out of the way.

He was so focused on the dark suit that he missed Stark coming up from behind him to punch him to the back of the head. He spun around earning another punch to his helmet and another. He grinned behind the mask, head butting the red and gold monstrosity before launching a whip in that direction.

He struck the suit once and then wrapped it around Stark’s throat. Tony held his own as Vanko tried to drag him back towards Rhodey. Rhodey was still trying to fire his guns at the guy. It clearly wasn’t working and they really needed a new strategy. Vanko stomped over to the suit, landing a foot on it’s chest. Rhodey gasped as the suit rocked him and then the pressure was gone. Tony had managed to yank Vanko off of him so he could roll out of the way.

Ivan’s face was once again exposed as he mirrored what he was doing to Tony to the other man. The two were spread evenly apart and that was when the lightbulb went off in Tony’s mind.

“Rhodes. I got an idea. You want to be a hero?”

“What?” It was hard to hear Tony through the electric cackle.

“I could really use a sidekick. Put your hand up.” Tony raised his own hand.

“This is your idea?”

“Yep.” It was a dangerously reckless idea, but never let it be said that those weren’t two of Tony’s best qualities. Besides, it was really explosive the last time they did this. Rhodey thankfully didn’t argue and held out his hand.

“I’m ready. I’m ready. Go, go, go!”

Perfectly synched up, the repulsor beams charged. Ivan glanced at the two men, back and forth, not realizing what was happening until it was too late.

“Take it!” Tony yelled before the beams shot out connecting directly in front of Vanko. The blast rocked the dome, sending the two men flying like last time and shattering the glass of the structure raining down on them.

The two men took a moment to dig themselves out of the craters their suit created. Both men turned their attention to the man lying prone on the ground. Vanko had been right there in the explosion zone. His suit was busted and sparking, his face burned and smudged with soot and dirt. For once, Tony didn’t have anything snappy to say to the man in front of him.

It was surprising to see the man was still conscious, though the battle looked like one he was slowly loosing. Ivan locked eyes with his and spoke softly. “You lose.”

There was a click and the chest plate on Ivan’s suit turned red. It flashed and beeped…just like a self-destruct timer. Tony mentally cursed as he glanced around, as all the drones all lit up too.

“These drones are rigged to blow. We’ve gotta get out of here, man.”

Only one thing came to mind as Rhodey’s words sank in. “Pepper? Steve?”

_I’m a little busy right now, Tony._

Steve grunted through the coms before a fizzing sound could be heard. Well, shit.

Both men took to the air. They had to get back in time. Rhodey went straight up to the sky while Tony flew back towards the expo, begging his suit to get him there in time.

He could see Pepper on the steps of the main pavilion. She was looking down confused at the flashing red coming from the bottom of the stairs. Damn it, he had to grab her. Swooping down, he made a land and grab, scooping her up. He ignored her scream as he heard the beeps come faster and pitched higher. Shooting up into the air, he barely made it out before the drones went up like fireworks, lighting up various locations around the expo. In a way, it was very fitting as it seemed to mark the end to the event, and this was the end.

~~~~~

Steve was locked in a hold with the soldier. Once the man had managed to get back to his feet, he’d grabbed a knife and came at Steve, completely ignoring the man’s words. The man had been trained to kill and nothing else. Steve had grabbed the flesh wrist with the knife in one hand, his other hand locked against metal as the soldier pushed trying to sink the knife into a vulnerable split in the armor. Their limbs shook under the pressure, but neither were willing to give in yet.

That was when Steve heard it. The beeping echoing in the air. He glanced around at the drones surrounding them, the red flashing. Oh, no.

“We need to get out of here. These drones are set to go off and they’ll take us both with them. We have to stop.”

Ordinarily, Steve would just kick the man away from him and take off. He just couldn’t though. He didn’t have any plausible explanation as to why, but he couldn’t. The man standing across from him didn’t waver, didn’t answer. Steve couldn’t leave him. As the beeps picked up in speed and sound he closed his eyes. He wouldn’t let this man die.

With a jerk of his knee, he planted the metal into the man’s gut, causing him to falter. Using the leverage he now had, he flipped the man to the side on his back. In the split second before the explosion, he draped his body over the soldier, pulling his head into the metal plate covering his chest.

“I got you. I won’t let you die.”

And the world faded into white heat and he felt the settling of his body as if it was telling him he did good…that he did the right thing before everything went to black.

~~~~~

Tony landed on the roof of the nearest apartment building. Pepper was still yelling as he put her down on the roof. She was a little off balance, but once she was solid she could see his sparking helmet and shoved him away. The helmet came undone and Tony chucked it away as it continued to spark. He glanced down at it, a little sad to see another one go.

“Oh my God! I can’t take this anymore.” Pepper yelled over the wind. She was breathing heavy trying to calm her racing heart. She covered her eyes.

“You can’t?”

“I can’t take this.”

“Look at me.” Tony gestured to his suit.

“My body, literally, cannot handle the stress. I never know if you’re gonna kill yourself or wreck the whole company.”

“I think I did okay.” Tony gestured to the disaster that was the flaming expo. In the background something else exploded as if to mock him.

“I quit. I’m resigning.” She took a deep breath. “That’s it.”

Tony paused. “What did you just say? You’re done? That’s surprising. No, it’s not surprising. I get it.”

He took a step forward. His words were coming out much better than they did the other day in the office. “You don’t have to make any excuses.”

“I’m…I’m…I’m…I’m not making any excuses.” Pepper cut in, defending herself.

“You actually were just making excuses.” Tony knew she was stronger than this, but it might not be so bad to get his company back. He wasn’t dying anymore, but he still wanted to give her the opportunity. He wanted to let her have her chance to shine. “But you don’t have to.”

“No, I wasn’t making an excuse. I’m actually very justified.” She argued stepping closer and holding her ground.

“Listen. Hey, hey. You deserve better.”

“Well…” she didn’t know what to say. She never thought Tony would say something like that. It actually hurt in a sad way and she felt the tears start to form in her eyes.

“You’ve taken such good care of me. I’ve been in a tough spot, but you got me through it, so…right?”

“Thank you.” She whispered.

“Yeah.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s talk clean-up.”

Pepper was calmer than she’d felt in days. “I’ll handle the transition. It’ll be smooth.”

“Okay. What about the press? Because you only had the job for a week. That’s gonna seem…”

“Well, with you it’s like dog year.”

He bit back a scoff. “I know.”

“I mean it’s like the Presidency…”

He kissed her. He couldn’t help it. She’d been getting closer and closer and he’d had too many life and death moments over the past couple of weeks and…and he just wanted to kiss her. She didn’t seem to mind as she reached up and slid her fingers into his hair before resting her hand on his jawline.

They broke apart and Pepper rested her hand on his chest plate. She was smiling, a small happy smile that lit up her face. Tony thought she looked beautiful.

“Weird.” He said, not sure if this was the way he wanted to do this.

“No, it’s not weird.” She whispered with a little awe.

“It’s okay, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Run that by me again.”

They leaned in, lips touching barely and then…

“I think it was weird.”

They broke apart, both looking to the right to see Rhodey chilling on a raised part of the roof. He looked comfortable, his face plate raised and he was grinning tiredly. “You guys look like two seals fighting over a grape.”

Pepper stepped back. “I had just quit, actually.”

“Yeah, so we’re not…”

“You don’t have to do that. I…I heard the whole thing.”

“You should get lost.” Tony hinted.

“I was here first. Get a roof.”

Tony smirked. “I thought you were out of one-liners.”

“That’s the last one.” Rhodey shrugged.

“You kicked ass back there, by the way.”

“Thank you. You, too.” Then without missing a beat. “Listen, my car got take out in the explosion, so I’m gonna have to hang on to your suit for a minute, okay?”

“Not okay. Not okay with that.”

“It wasn’t a question.” Rhodey stood up, the face plate dropped, and the suit was gone.

Pepper and Tony watched him go. Tony wasn’t going to waste the effort to go after his buddy. He knew where the man lived.

“How are you gonna resign if I don’t accept?”

She laughed for a second, living in the moment and then went stiff. Her eyes went wide as she realized something. She gripped his arm tightly.

“Steve!” Pepper gasped. “I forgot about Steve. He was still down there fighting a man dressed in black. The man, he killed Justin Hammer. Oh God, Tony we have to go find him.”

Tony felt the color leave his face. Damn it. After Steve had broken contact, his only thought had been for Pepper. What if he hadn’t gotten any warning? No, he couldn’t think like that. A man who survived all the horrors of the Second World War up until now. He wouldn’t be beaten down by this.

But what if he took off his suit? What if he couldn’t get out of the way? What if…?

“Pepper, stay here. I’m going to go look for him. I will come back for you, I promise.”

He launched himself in the air and dove back down towards the remnants below. How could he have forgotten Steve?

It was hard for him to see with the wind in his face. His eyes were watering terribly and he had to come to a halt to wipe the tears from his eyes. Blinking to clear his sight, that was when he caught sight of scorched baby blue and dirty white.

“Steve!” He was yelling as he dropped to the ground. The man was in a bit of a crater, lying on his side. Tony kneeled down and yanked the face plate away, chucking it into the bushes. Besides a gash on his head and the fact that he was unconscious, the man seemed relatively unscathed. He was breathing and Tony didn’t see any blood.

He reached for the emergency release on the suit and got the man out of it as quick as possible. He needed to call for an ambulance and he needed Pepper.

“I’ll be right back, buddy. We’ll get you checked out. Hold on for me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this was a tough one to write. I'm not very fond of action sequences and the constant jumping of the movie is a little tough when it comes to transitioning between scene to scene, but I think I did all right. I do love all the complex relationships between the characters and you got a little Winter Soldier action in there too. I have plans for that little interaction when I get to phase two and the feels are going to be so much worse next go round. I hope you guys enjoyed it!
> 
> If you enjoyed it or have a question, please leave comments and kudos. I say it every time, but I really enjoy seeing the responses in my e-mail inbox and it does encourage me to keep on going. Also, if you would like to, follow me on my social media pages and hang out with me there. And for one last thing, please check out my other stories. They're other stories in the same universe, so like the movies they are all connected. I will be back next Sunday, so keep an eye out for an update!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram/Twitter:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (Still working on the next chapter! I'll get it out at some point.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 6 Posted - 05/24/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	44. To Normalcy and New Adventures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The case involving Ivan Vanko and Justin Hammer wraps up. A bit of revenge is served and both Tony and Steve are dragged off to their next adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional Warning for violence and blood this time. It's towards the end, so you should be good most of the chapter and it should be obvious the part where you may want to skip over. Just wanted to give the heads up in case that's not your cup of tea.

Eyes opened to white walls and beeping monitors. Steve groaned out loud at the realization. He knew what had happened the last time he was awake and that waking up in a hospital was the inevitable conclusion to doing something stupid, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

“Hey big guy. I wouldn’t move around. You weren’t too badly injured, but you cracked a couple of ribs really good. They’ll heal on their own, but the hospital wasn’t willing to discharge you until you woke up. They couldn’t tell if you had a concussion or not.”

His eyes glanced over to see Natasha sitting in the chair next to the bed. She was looking more or less like herself, wearing a bright red shirt, black jacket, and black denim jeans. Her hair was pulled back away from her face, her curls hanging down her back.

“How long was I out?”

“Two days. I think that’s a record for you.”

“No, I was out a week after getting picked up by Howard in 1945, and Peggy kicked me through a window when we were working for the SSR. I was out for three days.”

Natasha smirked. “I think you made your point.”

They sat in a comfortable silence before Steve made an attempt to sit up. Natasha put a hand on his chest and reached for the controls of the bed. Slowly she raised him into a slight sitting position and reached for the spare pillow to put behind him to give him a bit more leverage. Steve laid back, trying to get comfortable again, taking stock of all of his injuries. He’d had worse, but that didn’t mean these hurt any less.

“Where’s Tony?”

“Meeting with Director Fury. He wanted to debrief Tony about what happened at the Expo. He wants to talk to you too.”

“Probably to yell about how reckless I was.”

“I think he wants to talk to you about the man you saved. The one with the metal arm.”

Steve inhaled sharply, wincing as it shifted his ribs. He did what he did to save the man, sure, but he didn’t have any logical explanation as to why he did what he did. Fury wasn’t going to take that as an answer though, not that Steve owed him an explanation. There was also the fact that he was pretty sure Natasha knew who the man was they were talking about.

“Natasha…I…”

“Don’t. Don’t do that, Steve. I don’t know why you did what you did, but you don’t owe me anything. I’m just surprised that he didn’t manage to kill you.”

“What happened to him?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. Stark said there was no one there with you when he found you, but we’re still trying to piece together the surveillance tapes. They were damaged in the blast.”

Steve took a deep breath. Either the man managed to pull himself away from Steve and out of sight for a while or Hydra managed an extraction right under their noses. He didn’t like the sound of either option in his head, so he turned the focus onto something else.

“Vanko?”

“Dead. We found what was left of him, though it wasn’t much.”

Steve leaned back against the pillow, closing his eyes. “The man certainly knew how to make an entrance and an exit.”

“That he did.” Natasha agreed. She was being very quiet and only making a few remarks when answering his questions or adding on to what he said. It was a good sign she was mad about something.

“Okay, what did I do?”

“What?”

“You’re mad. I can tell, so what did I do.”

Her eyes narrowing for a split second was all he needed to know that he was right. She sighed.

“You were reckless and put yourself in harm’s way. I don’t trust a lot of people Steve, but I do trust you. You were one of the few people who gave me a chance to prove myself when Barton brought me back to the agency.”

“Well, Barton may be a doofus at times, but I trust him. If he was willing to vouch for you, then I was willing to give you a shot, even with my reservations.”

“That’s not the point and you know it.”

“Natasha.” Steve’s voice was firm, but gentle. “This is my life. I don’t have the luxury of taking the safe route and avoiding this. The war may have officially ended, but you and I are still fighting it. It’s dangerous and we will always have enemies clawing at our backs.”

“That doesn’t mean you should go at this alone. It was stupid and reckless and…”

“But I wasn’t alone.” Steve paused. “I had Tony and Rhodey and you working with me to stop Vanko…to stop Hydra. I knew you all had my back and that was why I did what I did with the soldier. He and I are on par with our fighting skills, so it made sense for me to take him on. I wanted to have your backs too. Besides, it was the drones blowing up that did this to me, not the soldier. He got in a few good punches, but nothing broke.”

His words stopped the argument before it went any further. The fight left Natasha’s eyes and she sat back in her chair. “Fine. You win this round, Rogers, but don’t think I won’t come back to it if this happens again.”

“It will. I’ll be waiting for it.”

The room was comfortably silent now. Natasha glanced up at the TV screen as it displayed the images from the expo in the daylight. It wasn’t pretty and those who had doubted Tony Stark’s inability to protect them were eating their words right now. With Hammer dead, the government was looking for a new weapon’s contractor. They’d made another play for the suit the other day in an emergency meeting. Pepper Potts had gone to the meeting and had all the proper paper work that would keep the government from meddling in their affairs again. In the end, after a good night’s rest and several arguments with Tony, she decided to stay on as CEO. She’d be doing all the work in the long run anyway. Might as well stay on and take the credit for it and after all, Tony was a handful to deal with. That made running a company a cakewalk in comparison.

“What happened to the suit I was wearing?” Steve asked, breaking the silence

“Stark took it back to his lab here to repair it. Why?”

“Two questions first. Did Coulson come here with Fury and do you still have access to the Stark Industries mainframe?”

“Yes, to both. What are you planning?”

“I need you and Coulson to steal it for me. I never want to wear that thing again and I need to make a statement. Something that Tony will understand, so it has to be grand.”

“You’re going to destroy it, aren’t you?” When Steve didn’t answer, but had that curious little smirk on his face, Natasha could help smiling back. “All right. I’ll talk to Coulson, but I want to be there to see Stark’s face. That thing is hideous and totally not your style.”

“Steal it for me and you and Coulson will get a front row seat.”

“Deal.”

~~~~~

The abandoned warehouse where Tony was told to meet Fury looked like crap on the outside, but then again, he was going in to talk to the head of the largest spy organization in the United States. Looks were always deceiving and if the suits weren’t a giveaway, then he didn’t know what was. The room he was led to had the whole interrogation room setup only nicer and bigger.

Tony was staring down at the table, ignoring the trunks on the ground displaying holographic screens. One had the stupid eagle logo on it, the second had the news, and the third was running data, but what kind of data, Tony couldn’t tell from where he sat. There were two more behind them, but Tony wasn’t paying them attention.

On the table were a pair of file folders. Boredom and curiosity set in and he spun one of them around to face him. On the front was the logo again, followed by the words ‘Avengers Initiative Preliminary Report.’ He didn’t realize that the director had joined him until he went to open it and a hand caught him off guard, pushing the file flat to the table.

“I don’t think I want you looking at that. I’m not sure it pertains to you anymore.” He picked up the other folder. “Now this, on the other hand, is Agent Romanoff’s assessment of you. I could have asked Rogers his opinion on this, but he’s got a bit of a bias when it comes to you and I don’t think he’d approve of this. Not that I need his approval on this. Read it.”

Tony took the file, ignoring Fury’s other comments for the moment as he opened up to read what Romanoff wrote on him.

“Uh…Personality overview. Mr. Stark displays compulsive behavior.” Tony looked up at the other man. “In my own defense, that was last week.”

Fury didn’t look too impressed with his excuse so he got back to reading. “Prone to self-destructive tendencies. I was dying. I mean, please. And aren’t we all? Textbook narcissism? Agreed. Okay, here it is. Recruitment assessment…Iron Man, yes. I gotta think about it.”

“Read on.” Fury prompted.

“Tony Stark not…not recommended? That doesn’t make any sense. How can you approve me but not approve me? I got a new ticker. I’m trying to do right by Pepper. I’m in a stable-ish relationship. I’m trying to make things up to Steve. I have plans for that at least.”

Fury walked around the table to Tony’s side and sat on the edge, looking down at the man. “Which leads us to believe at this juncture we’d only like to continue to use you as a consultant.”

Tony looked at the man one more time to see if he was joking. When he still didn’t budge, he decided to be the better man and stood up to shake Fury’s hand. He couldn’t help the jab that escaped as he gave Fury his best fake grin. “You can’t afford me anymore.”

He started to walk away and thought better of it. If he was going to repair anything with Steve, he needed to make right by S.H.I.E.L.D. He was going to do it in his own way though as he turned around to face the one eyed man again. “Then again, I will waive my customary retainer in exchange for a small favor.”

Fury looked skeptical of what he was about to ask. There was a hint of annoyance there too, but he hid most of it with all his years of practice.

“Rhodey, Steve, and I are being honored and we need a presenter.”

Fury flattened his lips in a tight line for a moment looking away. It really was a small thing after all. “I’ll see what I can do.”

~~~~~

It took another couple of days for the presentation to happen. By that point, Steve had been released from the hospital and the three men were standing on the steps of the capital building. Rhodey and Steve were donning their military dress uniforms and Tony was in one of his finest suits. Senator Stern was standing at the podium, doing his best to keep a bright public face, but deep down, Tony knew the man was seething about this.

“It is my honor to be here today to present these distinguished awards to Colonel Steven Rogers, Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes, and Mr. Tony Stark, who is, of course, a national treasure.”

Rhodey and Steve both glanced over at Tony. Tony let the corner of his mouth curl a bit as he peered back through his sunglasses. He was trying his best to keep his face neutral though it was hard. After all of this, the last thing he wanted was to ruin the day for the other men. Steve was of the highest rank, so he got the first pin.

“Thank you, Colonel, for such an exceptionally distinguished performance. You deserve this.”

Steve nodded, holding out his hand to shake the Senator’s hand. He hated these sorts of things, but if he hadn’t come, he was going to have to figure out another way to get Tony to go meet up with Coulson and Natasha for the surprise. It was worth putting up with the riot act for what was to come later. The Senator seemed at least a little pleased at being able to shake the icon’s hand before he moved on to Rhodey.

“Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel, for such an exceptionally distinguished performance. You deserve this.”

“Thank you, sir.” Rhodey responded, remaining stoic throughout the ceremony.

Stern reached for the final pin and walked over to stand in front of Tony. The man managed to keep a straight face as he began to pin Tony.

“Mr. Stark.” Tony nodded at his name. “Thank you for such an exceptionally distinguished performance. You deserve this.”

He went to attach the pin, but instead of delicately tacking it on, he pushed a little bit harder, managing to stick Tony in the chest. Tony cringed and closed his eyes as a small “ow” escaped over his lips.

“Oh, sorry.” The Senator didn’t sound sorry at all as he glanced at the two military men. Both were smirking a little at Tony’s discomfort. Stern turned back to Tony. “Funny how annoying a little prick can be, isn’t it? Let’s get a photo.”

Stern stood between Tony and Rhodey as he turned around. Steve stepped closer to Rhodey to get into the shot as the camera man ran up to snap it. Tony raised a peace sign into the air as all the man put on their best showman’s grins and the flash went off. Once all this was done, they could go back to the way they really felt about one another, but that was for later, much later.

~~~~~

“Okay, so why do we have to go to a junk yard?”

“I need something and after all the trouble you’ve caused, the least you could do is not complain and help me find it.”

“I can help you. I can buy whatever you need brand new and that way we don’t have to spend the next hour in the heat ruining our suits with our sweat. Besides, this one isn’t the best at finding good quality stuff.”

“I don’t need good quality. I’m looking for scrap. Come on.”

Tony continued to complain, but despite that, turned down the road to head to the junk yard. He parked the car in the lot and the two men climbed out. Steve tried really hard not to make a straight shot for where he wanted to be, but it was difficult. From where he stood, he caught a flash of red on top of the tower that overlooked the machinery in the yard. Tony caught sight of her just in time for Coulson to step into view.

“What is the Agent Babysitting Brigade doing here?”

“To help me.”

“But why are they up there?”

“I don’t know. Let’s go up there and see.” Steve shrugged casually, trying to hide the fact that he did know what was going on here.

Natasha was grinning when they reached the landing. She was looking a little different, wearing more casual clothes and something else caught Steve’s eye. “You cut your hair?”

“Yeah, I decided I wanted a change and after this, I’m shipping out for a mission in Russia. The director wants me to infiltrate an illegal import and export ring by my more colorful alias, so this might be the last time we see each other for a while.”

“Well good luck on that.”

“I don’t need luck, Rogers. I have skills.”

Coulson choked on his laughter in the background catching their attention. He glanced up apologetically as Stark approached him.

“I thought you were heading to the land of enchantment.”

“I was, but a billionaire in a flying metal suit put it on hold. I’m heading out there after this. The Colonel is coming with, wanted to see if you’d like to tag along. We could use your expertise on this and now that you’re a consultant again, I can brief you, but only if you agree.”

“I’ll have to think about it. Might have to ask Pepper. She has me on a bit of a short leash for a little bit.”

“I already asked Pepper.” Steve chimed in. “She wants you out of her hair for a while and told me to take you kicking and screaming if I have to.”

“That’s not fair. That was settled without my knowledge. When did you have time to talk to Pepper?”

Steve just smirked as he walked over to grab something off of the control panel. Stark got a good look at the item and pointed, gaping like a fish out of water.

“Is that the helmet for the SSM? What’s it doing here?”

“Well, Tony, since you like to surprise me with unpleasant surprises. I thought I would return the favor. Nat, care to do the honors?”

“Don’t call me Nat, and I’d love to.”

In a dramatic flair, Natasha took the helmet from him and kissed the top of its head before tossing it below. She leaned over to hit a button on the controls and Tony heard the sound of mechanical wheels grinding together as they came to life. He dreaded looking over the railing, but knew that he had to. Sure enough, his precious SSM suit was laying in a funeral pose, the helmet landing perfectly on the chest plate over the reactor as the two metal plates of the crushing machine were coming together. Steve removed his hat in eulogy as Tony couldn’t bring himself to say a word until the deed was done and his suit was scrap.

“Did you seriously just do that? Did you just crush one of my suits? And after you obviously stole it, I might add.”

“You should have seen something like this coming, Tony. And you don’t really have a good case. Not after you lied to me…”

“I didn’t want you to worry when I was still working on it.”

“Too late, I always worry about what reckless thing you’ll do next. You blew me up, twice.”

“I was drunk and Rhodey helped. The second time was all Vanko.”

“Not the point. You put me into one of your flying suits, knowing I hate flying on regular aircrafts though I tolerate it, and you painted the thing blue with stars.”

“It suited you. You’re the _‘star spangled man with a plan.’_ ” Tony sang the last part watching as blue eyes narrowed.

“You’re not even sorry about it, Tony. Not once did I get a genuine apology about this whole thing.”

Tony’s face grew a bit remorseful at that. Steve did have a point. Tony had apologized to both Pepper and Rhodey for all the trouble. In the cleanup, he’d forgotten about Steve.

“You’re right. I put you all through Hell, and I should have apologized to you sooner for that, but there never seemed to be a good time for it. I’m sorry, Steve, and I’m working on it. I need you and Pepper and maybe even Rhodes to help me out with that. You three want to make me better and I can’t promise something like…” He made a wide gesture as if it would explain everything. “…whatever just happened won’t happen again, but I’d like to think you’d have my back again if it did.”

“Don’t ever doubt that.” Steve answered sternly.

“I am sorry and I have plans to make it up to you.”

“And?” Steve prompted, asking for something unspoken between the men.

“I won’t build another suit for you. Are you happy with that? Does this make us even, by the way?”

Steve looked at the crushed metal still in the machine. “Yeah. It does.”

“Okay.” Natasha said casually reminding the two men that they had an audience. “As fun as this was and as much as I wanted to bring out the popcorn for the tear jerker, we’ve all got things to pack and missions to get to.”

“She’s right.” Coulson agreed. “Our plane leaves for New Mexico in an hour. A team will meet us on the ground there. Stark still needs to pack a bag, so I’ll escort him back and make sure he doesn’t take his sweet time packing. Colonel, I know you dropped your things off at the jet this morning. Do you mind taking Agent Romanoff to the airport? I’ll brief you when we arrive.”

Steve nodded. “Yeah. I don’t mind. One question though, why does Fury want us in New Mexico? He never got around to giving me anything after our chat in the hospital.”

“We’re investigating a possible 0-8-4.”

“An 0-8-4?” Tony asked. “What’s an 0-8-4?”

“We’ll tell you on the plane. Shall we go, Mr. Stark.”

“Lead the way, Agent. Hey, what about the scrap from my suit?” It was an afterthought and a delaying tactic on Tony’s part.

“Arrangements have been made to take it back to your home in Malibu. It’ll be there when you get back. Maybe you can salvage something from it.”

Tony was still chatting it up with Coulson as they got into Tony’s car and sped down the road. Steve just shook his head as he climbed into the passenger’s seat of the rental, letting Natasha take the wheel.

“You think Coulson is going to be all right with Stark?” She asked glancing in her review as she backed out.

“He’ll be fine. I gave him his taser back.”

Her light laughter filled the car as they began to speed down the road and off to their next adventure, wherever that would take them.

~~~~~

He was cold, always cold, so it wasn’t anything new to him. He knew better than to speak unless it was to confirm an order given. His head ached, so he tried not to think of anything, though he couldn’t help his mind from processing the sound of men running around him and comprehending the voices as they spoke.

“All things considered, Dr. Zola, the soldier came out relatively unscathed. He’s been in and out of consciousness, babbling about a man in the metal suit.”

“I warned our leader that this might happen. He is on his way down to personally get a look at the damage. See to it that he receives whatever he asks for.”

The second voice he knew all too well. It was the man who made him. He’d forgotten the man’s face, but not the voice. As many times as they set his brain on fire, he’d never forget that voice. It was too much a part of what he was.

He opened his eyes, unsure of when they had closed. Maybe they hadn’t been open all along. He was in the chair, in the room with four walls and a large cage door. Men in black and men and white moved around him. The men in black had riffles to take him out if necessary. The men in white were writing on their clipboards. One sat on his left side. He tried to form a fist with his unhuman hand. It wouldn’t move, broken. Broken was not good, not to the men in white, not to the voice, not to the man whose skin was red, brighter than the color of blood, though he referred to the man as the man of blood anyway. That man was his handler, his master, the man who he was to follow and obey no matter the circumstances.

The room went tense. All the men stiffened, even he as the man of blood walked into the room. He turned away, unable to look at the man. The man of blood was angry, but he was always angry. The man had come for him, was standing in front of him. He felt the leather on his chin as his face was forced to look up.

“Mission report, soldier.” The man hissed.

“Sir, with all due respect, he just regained consciousness. I don’t think now would be the best time…”

The doctor didn’t see the gun until it went off, splattering blood and brain matter onto the instruments behind him before dropping like a stone to the floor. No one moved as the man of blood wiped his face with a handkerchief.

“I will not ask again, soldier.”

He was distracted though. The fuzziness in his head, the aches and pains of his body, and that nagging feeling like there was something important…something he should be remembering, but he couldn’t. It wasn’t mission related. He never forgot about the details of his mission. To do so would bring more pain if he should fail.

The man was angrier now. The soldier wasn’t following orders. He just kept staring at the wall. “Everyone get out. I want to have words with the soldier.”

“Are you certain about that, sir?” He recognized the doctor’s voice again, lucid enough to glance around the room for the source. To hear just a voice without a source was disorienting to him, though he was somewhat familiar with it being the case with the doctor.

“Of course. He will not turn against me. Not now, not ever if he wants to live.”

The men in white and the men in black left the room, closing the door behind them. The man of blood was pacing in front of him. He focused on the wall, not wanting to follow the man’s movements with his eyes. This would end in pain, he already knew that. How he knew, he was unsure, but he had failed part of his mission.

“I do not think you understand just how delicate this situation is.” The man of blood started. “You were trained to be the best for a reason. I have not poured resources into you just for you to fail me.”

The soldier swallowed, licked his lips, found his words. “I knew him.”

Eyes narrowed. “You knew him. Who?”

“The man who pursued me. The one in the blue suit. Blond hair, blue eyes, a few inches taller than me. I knew him.”

The man of blood stood, sneering down at him. “You fought him in Monaco. That was the one and only time you have ever seen that man.”

No, that was wrong. He knew it was wrong. He knew him from before.

“I can see that you are not going to be of any use any time soon. Dr. Zola, wipe him and put him on ice. I do not want any excuses this time.”

The man started for the door and in that moment, something clicked in his mind.

“Steve.”

The man froze, slowly turning to face him, eyes blazing with fury. “What did you just say?”

“Steve. The man in the suit. I knew him. Steve.”

It took mere seconds for the gloved hands to wrap around his throat, cut off his very breath as he was lifted out of the chair. His hands hung limp at his side. The man was trying to kill him, but his death would be so much worse if he resisted. His vision started to go black and his lungs burned in his chest.

“Sir! You will kill him and we still need him.” The doctor’s voice rang out into the quiet of the room.

The hands around his neck stop squeezing and after a few heartbeats, let him go to crumple on the floor gasping for his breath. He stayed there, stayed down in defeat. He had no choice. He was their weapon, their soldier. They would do with him what they wanted. The man was standing above him, breathing heavy, and his tone betraying his fury.

“Have the doctors patch him up the best they can before wiping him and putting him back in his chamber. Use the highest setting doctor. I want you to make sure you wipe the Colonel permanently from his memory this time.”

“But sir, the highest setting could bring about permanent damage to his…”

“Was this creature not given my serum and blood to improve what he was when we found him? I will not take any excuses, doctor. It is by my whim that he lives and there is nothing to stop me from taking that life away. Never forget that. He will not be coming out of cryostasis until I call for it. By that time, I expect him to be perfect. After all, what better way to end Captain America’s life than by the hands of the man he still calls friend.”

The man left after that. The men in white and black returned, picking him up from where he lay and putting him back in the chair. He drifted until the men were done. His wounds were patched, arm fixed, and he felt the mouth guard set against his mouth.

For a moment he thought to resist. He wanted to remember the man, needed to, but he knew what resistance earned him. His mouth parted in acceptance as he was dragged back to lay against the back of the chair. He knew what was coming, the fire and pain. It would make him forget, burn away everything. He didn’t know how he knew that, he just did.

In the distance he heard the scream, felt the scorching in his brain…the rawness and dryness of his throat. It seemed to go on forever and when the torture ended, he’d been stripped down to nothing once more. The men helped him into the chamber. The chamber was familiar, and the cold would follow the fire. He welcomed it at first, after what he had been through, but as the cold seeped into his veins and lungs, he reached out to the glass in front of him. For a moment he could see the bright, laughing blue eyes. He did not know this person, but those eyes brought him peace as he fell back into the cold and dark that made him the soldier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, another movie has come to an end and I actually enjoyed writing some of this chapter. I got the chance to allude to future plans for this verse and apparently I am the queen of angst after what I wrote at the end of this. Hopefully you guys don't want my head after the way this chapter ended (or want to bay for my blood as my beta so eloquently put it.) Hopefully you guys are still willing to stick with me through this. 
> 
> If you are, we are springing fast and straight into Thor and there are going to be so many twists and turns that I have in store considering this is going to be where I deviate from the movie the most. I have like the first five chapters plotted out and it's gonna be another wild ride. As a bit of a teaser, there will be more of Tony and Steve of course, but there will also be more Loki, fighting between the two brothers, and I have plans for Frigga and the Frost Giants to play a bigger role in all of this. Hopefully this will be just as good as the rest. I'm going to try to have the first chapter ready this week, but I'm not going to guarantee anything. As it is, my plan is to do this for July Camp NaNoWriMo along with Interlude Party and Before We Go. Hopefully, It'll give me the cushion I need so we won't have a missed week for a while.
> 
> I want to thank all of you for sticking with me this far. I'm coming up on my one year anniversary of posting this story and there were many times I wasn't sure I'd even make it this far, but I did and it's because of the encouragement of many of you. Every week when I ask for comments and kudos, I mean it when I say that they encourage me to continue. I really hope that you will continue with that and sticking with me. I'm horrible sometimes at responding (I see the comments and then I forget to respond), but I do see them and I do appreciate them.
> 
> If you have a chance, check me out on social media and my other stories. The links are below. (One of these days I'll figure out how to do the links where you can just click on them, but today is not that day. Sorry guys.)
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram/Twitter:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (Still working on the next chapter! I'll get it out at some point.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 6 Posted - 05/24/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	45. It Started With a Hammer in the Desert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coulson, Steve, and Tony head to New Mexico to look into strange phenomena. Meanwhile, Dr. Jane Foster and her team study a specific event and meet some suspicious people.

The plane was almost quiet as the trio of men stared out the window. Tony was tapping impatiently on any of the surfaces he could get his hands on, whether it be on the table in front of him or his empty lap. It was starting to grate on Steve’s nerves as he was looking over the documents in front of him, but he wasn’t going to give Tony the satisfaction of knowing just how much it got to him. It didn’t look like he had to do anything as Coulson handed the man another file.

“Mr. Stark, you’re one of the most brilliant minds S.H.I.E.L.D. is working with. I want to know your opinion on this.”

Tony glanced from the folder to Coulson and then back down to the folder before taking it out of his hands and flipping it open. It only took about a minute of him flipping through the file before glancing up at Coulson.

“I’m not an astrophysicist, you know that, right?”

“Yes, I’m aware. I also know you pick up things relatively quickly. Even if you don’t understand everything in the file from lack of knowledge of the specialty, you can learn just enough to get us by.”

“So is that all I’m good for now. You really have turned me into a plain old boring consultant.”

“That is what you agreed to, Tony.” Steve pointed out. “I’m sure you’ll find some way to make it not so plain and boring, but right now you should read it and see what you can understand.”

“Okay, I’ll bite. I just have one question first. You said something back at the junk yard about an 0-8-4…what the hell is that?”

“It’s an object of unknown origin. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been observing some interesting phenomena in the skies above New Mexico. Unfortunately, S.H.I.E.L.D.’s scientists have only scratched the surface on what we’ve been able to recover. We have a team already on the ground to study the object, but they’ve been ordered to stand by until there’s someone there to supervise.”

“Wait, wait, wait…so we know what this thing is, but not where it came from?” Tony was questioning what he was hearing.

“It looks like it’s some sort of large archaic hammer. Initial pictures taken uncovered markings that we’ve been able to find on traditional Viking pieces.”

Coulson flipped through his file and pulled out several pictures. The quality wasn’t that great as the pictures appeared to have been taken at some distance away and then blown up. It made them a little grainy and blurry, but the markings stood out besides that.

“It looks intact…” Steve pointed as he pulled a picture closer to get a better look. “…and brand new as if it hasn’t aged.”

“Well neither have you big guy.” Tony pointed out, earning a raised eyebrow and a glance that told him he should keep his mouth shut. It was promptly ignored. “So what makes you think this is a hammer? It just looks like an overgrown paperweight to me.”

“You see this in the pictures, the way it’s sticking up and out, the shape.” It was blurry in the picture and shadowed, but the shape was similar to a hammer even if the head was more like a block than what they were used to. “The reports say the metal is connected to a handle to make it look like a large hammer. It looks like the handle is covered with leather of some sort, but until we can get it and secure the area and the 0-8-4 we can’t be sure what the material is.”

“So we’re going in to supervise and keep the civilians out of the way.” Steve commented sliding the folder in his hand shut and plopping it down on the table slightly disinterested.

“That’s part of it. The Director wants to make sure that the hammer wasn’t the only thing that’s here that we can’t place. Pierce has been pushing for him to do more in building up S.H.I.E.L.D.’s ranks and operations. If we can get this solved quickly and quietly, S.H.I.E.L.D. might be able to get the government funding that we so desperately need.”

“Pierce?” Tony asked.

“Defense Secretary Alexander Pierce, he’s the head of the committee that oversees S.H.I.E.L.D.” Steve answered dryly. “He’s the one I have to go see with Fury every year to go over the budget and the evaluation for funds. He’s the man to go to if S.H.I.E.L.D. wants to get anything from the government.”

Tony glanced at the older man curiously. “So it’s a love-hate relationship then?”

“Hate is such a strong word.” Steve said with a straight face before his lips curled, slightly amused. “There is no love there though, strong dislike. You know how much I don’t like talking to the government or military leaders.”

Tony scoffed. “First, because I have to say it. You hate some things…flying for example, and you have used the word even as reciently as a couple of weeks ago when you were in one of my suits. Second, I know you hate those greedy assholes because they always want something from you and it’s usually to parade you around for some cause that you don’t support.”

“That’s why I always say no.” Steve responded. “Unfortunately, in order for S.H.I.E.L.D. to keep operating, we can’t say no to Pierce. He’s the only way we can get our funding now.”

Tony was about to say something else, but Coulson beat him to it.

“Gentlemen, we’re getting a little off topic. We need to be focusing on what’s in front of us. We can get this done and then go back to focusing on what Secretary Pierce may or may not want.”

Tony didn’t like it, but for Steve’s sake, he let the conversation drop. He already knew how much Steve hated all the politics involved in running S.H.l.E.L.D. and that was why it was left to Fury. The genius turned to the folder in his hand and began to look it over, scrutinizing the findings on the page. He’d take care of this first, and as soon as he was able to patch into J.A.R.V.I.S., he was going to find out more about Pierce.

“I don’t really understand most of this, but what I can tell you is that there was some theories floating around about an Einstein-Rosen Bridge. Basically your scientists are theorizing the existence of a wormhole to another dimension. I don’t believe in that stuff. It’s crap.”

“You don’t think it’s a possibility.” Coulson said.

“I’ve been called many things, but crazy isn’t one of them. I’m a scientist and an engineer. I don’t believe in things I can’t see with my own eyes. I think someone’s playing with us.”

Steve took a deep breath. “I have to agree with Tony. I mean, some sort of portal to another dimension sounds a little far-fetched, even to my ears. I know we’ve dealt with some strange things over the years, Coulson, but this isn’t something we have any knowledge on, or proof.”

“I know. You don’t have to convince me of any of that, but we have to at least go into this cautiously. Even if it didn’t come from another dimension, there is still the possibility that this is a weapon and it’s dangerous.”

“It could be a new weapon from Hydra. We’re heading close to their territory.” Steve suggested.

“I believe that more than I believe this crap.” Tony tossed the folder down on the table in front of him as he spoke.

“Regardless, let’s try and keep an open mind about it.” Coulson paused, preparing to shift gears. “We need a plan going in.”

“We go in, secure the site and set up a perimeter around the hammer until we know what it is, where it came from, and how dangerous it is. Fury wouldn’t have sent us out here without the tools to do that. Hopefully we have a good team on the ground already, willing to assist with anything.”

Coulson smiled. If there was one thing you could count on from Steve Rogers is that he was the one who could come up with a solid plan in a matter of minutes. He must have been thinking about it since he knew what was coming.

“Well, Sitwell’s team is the one he has on the ground there, so this could be interesting. Plus, I hear he’s ordered Barton to come in to cover us in case Hydra is aware of it and comes to make a play. Mr. Stark, if we’re not dealing with an Einstein-Rosen Bridge, then we need to figure out what we’re dealing with. Would you be willing to work with our scientists and try to see if you can figure out where this thing came from?”

Tony didn’t look happy about that. “I can try. This isn’t my area of expertise, but I can at least poke holes in a few theories and knock some heads.”

“Let’s just get on the ground first and see exactly what we’re dealing with. We have to find Sitwell and exactly where the hammer landed before we can do anything else. Once that’s done we can worry about the other stuff. Agreed?”

Steve glanced between the two men. Tony was acting more humble than usual, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t cause trouble in the long run. When he got a nod from both men, he turned to look out the window. Something didn’t feel right about this. Then again, something didn’t feel right on any mission he went on lately. With everything that had happened though, he hoped, at least this one time that he was wrong

~~~~~

_The Night Before – Puente Antiguo, New Mexico_

The skies above the desert were beautiful at night. Thousands of stars twinkled in the night as far as the eye could see. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was perfect.

Jane Foster looked out the window and then back to her instruments. Tonight was the night, she knew it. Over the past several weeks, there had been a series of phenomena she had been studying and when she caught the signs of another one approaching, she knew she couldn’t miss the opportunity of a lifetime.

She was out and about in her van. It had been converted for her field work in her chosen field of astrophysics. With her was her mentor, Dr. Erik Selvig, the man who had been like a father to her and had taught her so much. He had been a friend of her father’s and had taken her under his wing after her father had passed. She was so grateful for everything he had done for her that she wanted him here with her. Sitting in the driver’s seat, looking bored was her intern. Darcy Lewis had been the sole applicant to intern with her. A snappy and sarcastic political science major, who didn’t understand this kind of work and was often bored. This was one of those times as the younger girl glanced back at the scientists with that look on her face that said she was about to either ask for something or complain.

When Darcy turned to look back out the front window, Jane began to punch the keys she needed to on her equipment. Erik watched her, trying to stay out of her way, but observe what she was doing and the results on the screen. Jane killed the lights outside of the vehicle before pulling the sun roof open on the top, climbing out to look up at the sky. Erik climbed up behind her and stood next to her, both looking up for something to come. Jane placed the last piece of recording equipment there, securing it into place. Below her, but close enough to reach was her video camera. If she could, she wanted a recording of the phenomenon.

The two scientists continued to look up into the sky. Jane looked down at her data, but nothing was happening. Erik looked over at her questioning her for the first time since she had called him, excited about her discovery.

“Wait for it.” Jane sounded enthusiastic and encouraging.

“Can I turn on the radio?” Darcy called from below, clearly sounding bored with this.

“No.” Jane scolded, starting to get annoyed that nothing was happening. This couldn’t be happening to her, not now. She had something here, she just knew it.

“Jane, you can’t keep doing this.” Erik spoke softly, but the woman refused to believe. She hopped back down into the van to double check her instruments. Maybe she missed something.

“The last 17 occurrences have been predictable to the second.” She yanked a book into her lap and began to flip through it. She wasn’t giving up, not on this.

“Jane, you’re an astrophysicist, not some storm chaser.” Erik climbed down to sit beside her.

“I’m telling you, there’s a connection between these atmospheric disturbances and my research. Erik, I wouldn’t have asked you out here if I wasn’t absolutely sure.”

She pulled up the data from the Aurora Catalog for New Mexico. There had to be something here. She was close, so close to figuring out the final puzzle piece so that she could get her work published. It was revolutionary and she needed Erik on board.

While the duo in the back were playing with all the fun toys, Darcy was glancing out the front of the van. She wanted to get out of here and get back to the building they were staying in. Maybe she’d get a hot bath and curl up with her laptop and watch a movie. She’d gladly take a night in over being out here doing field work. If she wasn’t getting college credits for this, she wouldn’t be doing this.

Needing a change in scenery, she glanced out the side window and that was when she saw it. The glowing light from the clouds behind the van. She turned back to glance at the scientists and then back to the mirror. Huh, that was weird.

“Jane, I think you want to see this.” She called out looking back at the woman again.

Jane moved to look out the window. A circle formed in the clouds with rays of bluish light spilling out. It was unlike anything she’d ever seen before. “What is that?”

Erik looked on in awe as she climbed back over the equipment, climbing to peer through the sun roof. Erik joined her as both scientists gaped at what they were seeing. It was beautiful and stunning and exactly what Jane started looking for, but not what she was expecting. The light was getting brighter and turning different colors.

“I thought you said it was a subtle aurora!” Erik exclaimed, having a hard time believing what he was seeing. In all of his professional career, he’d never seen anything like this.

“Go!” Jane cried out sparking Darcy into action. The van lurched forward as the scientists dropped, flying over a dune causing one of the doors to fly open. Erik reached out to shut is as Jane grabbed the camera and pulled herself up to the front and began to film. She sat down and leaned out the car window. “Get closer.”

“Right. Good one.” Darcy exclaimed sarcastically.

“Go!” Jane said, laughing at the thrill of the chase as they sped down the desert rode. The infrared camera was picking up major data as a cyclone descended from the light and hit the ground at a rapid speed. The impact of the tornado on the ground produced a large cloud of smoke billowing out towards them.

Darcy panicked, swerving as the cloud enveloped them. Jane felt the lurch of the van and glanced over at the girl confused.

“What are you doing?” She shouted clearly excited about all of this.

“I am not dying for six college credits.” Darcy yelled back. She may be young, but she wasn’t crazy. Nothing was worth dying for, especially in the prime of her life. Unfortunately, Jane reached over to grab the wheel, steering her back into the cloud and Erik wasn’t stopping them.

There were several screams of panic and that was when Darcy saw the shadows in the clouds. Two of them, people. She slammed on the brakes, both women screaming as the van spun out of control and the sound of metal hitting flesh rang out before the van rocked to an abrupt stop.

It was silent for a moment, the cyclone gone and the smoke dissipating to the point where the trio could see. They were all in shock at what they had just seen, but it wasn’t long before they were all scrambling to get out of the van. They had definitely hit something and they had seen something they couldn’t explain, but they were more concerned about what or who they had hit. They made a quick grab for flashlights as it was still a bit foggy from the smoke cloud.

“I think that was legally your fault.” Darcy called out as she ran around the van, the beam of light bouncing as she ran.

“Get the first aid kit.” Jane called to Darcy who turned back to the van to get the kit. They could see two men laying on the ground outside of a weirdly patterned circle. Jane ran to the larger of the two figures while Erik ran to the other. Jane kneeled down next to the man on his side. “Do me a favor, don’t be dead. Please.”

The man rolled on his back and seemed dazed as he stared up into the light. “Where did they come from?”

“Jane, you might want to see this.”

The woman turned from the man in front of her to the man Erik was staring down at. She shined a light onto the other man, noticing something wasn’t right. The man’s skin was blue with raised lines on it. His face was shielded by his hand trying to block out the light, slowly Jane lowered the light down and the hand slowly lowered to reveal vibrant red eyes.

“Oh my God!” She managed to get out before the red eyes narrowed. There was an angry hiss and the man tried to crawl back away from the trio in front of him.

“This is all your fault.” The creature managed to get out between clenched teeth, his face betraying the fury he felt. Jane looked back at the man behind her who was struggling to get his own bearings.

Jane didn’t know what she had just stumbled into tonight, but what she did know was that she had more questions than answers. Whoever these men were, where they came from, all of it mattered, but the she couldn’t shake the feeling that they were all in danger. She may have wanted something spectacular to happen tonight, but this, this was more than she bargained for. As she looked up at Erik and Darcy in shock, one thing came to mind.

They were all in deep trouble.

~~~~~~

_Present Day –_ _Puente Antiguo, New Mexico_

The sound of the car doors slamming was loud in this kind of desert. The dry wind kicked up the sand and dirt as Coulson and Steve stepped up to look down at the spectacle below them. Tony was there too, coming up between them, but maintaining a little bit more distance from the steep hill. The men looked down to see some sort of party below. Several vehicles were pulling up still as men and women stood heading down in a crater.

There was laughter, the smell of barbecue, and the revving of truck engines. It was a decent crowd and they had gathered quickly all from word of mouth. This was the middle of the desert, between two towns a considerable distance apart.

“This screams trouble, Coulson.” Steve pointed out, shaking his head at all the people. “Civilians could get hurt if it’s a weapon.”

“We’ll make it work. There’s always something to come up with to drive them away. Right now we’ll monitor the situation and try to keep the collateral damage to a minimum.”

“I want to keep the damage to zero.” Steve argued back.

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen, soldier boy. We attract trouble like magnets and this whole set up screams trouble.” Tony pointed out, as he walked past them, trying to get a better look.

“I’m going to call HQ. Fury wanted an update when we got in. I’m sure Sitwell has already confirmed, but he needs to know we’re on site.”

“Do what you have to. I’ll call Sitwell, see where we can meet up and coordinate. Get an ETA on when we can get started.”

Steve turned away and walked back towards the car. Coulson took one more look at the crater below, the sun climbing higher, illuminating the reflective metal in the center. Whipping out his phone he pressed a button on speed dial, his direct line to the Director. When the call was picked up, no greeting was exchanged between the men. Coulson only had one sentence for the man in charge, the one he wanted to hear.

“Sir, we’ve found it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, I'm so happy to be starting Thor. This is where some things that are movie cannon really change. The biggest change was teased in this and I'm super excited to explore this change. Tomorrow marks a year of me working on this story, so I really want to thank you guys for sticking with me this long. I am working on the next chapter and I want to put it up tomorrow, but I'm making no promises right now. If not, it'll be up on Sunday. Thanks again for reading!
> 
> Please feel free to leave comments and kudos. I love hearing from you and it encourages me to write. Also, feel free to follow me on the social media channels below and read my other stories.
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram/Twitter:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (Still working on the next chapter! I'll get it out at some point.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 6 Posted - 05/24/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	46. Coronation Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asgard is preparing to crown it's new King, but one member of the royal family is having doubts that could set off a series of disastrous events.

_Once, mankind accepted a simple truth, that they were not alone in this universe. Some worlds man believed to be home to their gods. Others, they knew to fear. From a realm of cold and darkness came the Frost Giants, threatened to plunge the mortal world into a new ice age. But humanity would not face this threat alone. Our armies drove the Frost Giants back into the heart of their own world. The cost was great. In the end, their king fell and the source of their power was taken from them. With the last great war ended, we withdrew from the other worlds and returned home to the Realm Eternal, Asgard. Here we remain as a beacon of hope, shining out across the stars. And though we have fallen into man’s myths and legends, it was Asgard and its warriors that brought peace to the universe._

Two small boys stood on each side of an older man. It was the older man who was telling them the story of the battle with the Frost Giants. His voice firm and gentle, great for telling stories as they walked down the corridor of the vault. In front of them, on a pedestal was that great source of power taken by the Aesir and brought back after the war.

The two boys were in awe of the object in front of them. They had heard the story the older man, their father, was telling many times before, but this was the first time they had been allowed into the vault. The fact that they were standing in front of something so powerful that it had to be locked away to protect the realms fascinated them.

“But the day will come when one of you will have to defend that peace.” Their father stepped into their line of sight, blocking the casket. He was looking between the boys as he spoke, trying to teach them a lesson with his words.

“Do the Frost Giants still live?” The dark haired boy asked, green eyes gazing up in curiosity.

“When I’m king….” The elder, blond boy wasn’t speaking to his father, but to his younger brother. “I’ll hunt the monsters down and slay them all! Just as you did, Father.”

The boy was enthusiastic in his motions, but the younger brother wasn’t all that impressed.

“A wise king never seeks out war. But…” He paused to glance at his two sons, both so different, but so strong and determined in their own way. They would make fine kings. “He must always be ready for it.”

The man began to walk briskly back the way he came. The two brothers glanced at each other before simultaneously sprinting down the corridor to catch up to their father.

“I’m ready, Father.” The blond spoke up, grabbing the man’s hand as he matched the stride.

“So am I.” The dark hair boy spoke up, sounding annoyed at his brother’s enthusiasm. He didn’t want his father to think he wasn’t equally as ready as his brother was. Their father squeezed their hands lightly. His boys still had a long way to go and the throne would most likely go to the eldest, but that didn’t make his younger son any less important.

“Only one of you can ascend to the throne. But both of you were born to be kings.”

~~~~~

Green eyes snapped open and he groaned as he threw an arm over his eyes. He didn’t want to be awake. It was too early, for one thing and today was the day he was just dreading. It was coronation day, but it wasn’t his coronation day. Today belonged to his publically-beloved older brother. The people didn’t know him, at least not personally.

Thor was an idiot, brash and wild without thought of the consequences of his actions. He was not ready to become king. He would be the king to bring about the end for their people. And yet, their father, the Mighty Odin All-Father thought that Thor was ready and the best man for the job.

Loki had a different opinion of his brother than the mass public. They didn’t know just how sporadic Thor could be. All they saw was his triumphant returns, while Loki was there for the entire ride. Granted, sometimes Loki was the one who brought on the trouble, but more often than not, it was Thor and his run into a situation head first without thinking that brought about the worst of it.

It would have been okay if their companions would listen, but those oafs were all willing to follow Thor into the chaos of battle. Sif was the exception, but by the time she would react, the men were in the fray leaving her and Loki to join them as things went bad rather quickly.

Loki had to admit that Thor did have some good qualities. He was strong and very loyal to those close to him. He did care about his people and had a deep passion for the things that he was interested in. He was very talented in various forms of battle. It was why their father had gifted Thor with Mjolnir. The hammer had earned Thor the title as the God of Thunder among the Aesir.

Thor was loved, respected, revered, and Loki was not. Loki was the younger son and he was the exact opposite of Thor in every single way. It was annoying. Thor was large and bulky as a true Asgardian warrior should be. He had long blond hair, and blue eyes, and tanned skin. He was loud and brash and everything that a good Asgardian should be. Loki was not Thor.

Loki was tall and thin. He had shoulder length black hair and green eyes and pale skin. He was a master of magic and sorcery. He was lanky though he was strong. Loki was methodical and cunning. If he was praised for anything it was his legendary silver tongue that allowed him to talk his way out of anything. He wasn’t respected by the Aesir. In fact, he was constantly being compared to his older brother, especially when he didn’t measure up to Thor. Still, Loki could do many things that his brother could not, and although the Aesir didn’t respect him as a warrior, they gave him his due as the younger prince of Asgard. He was the Trickster God.

Despite that, Loki knew that he was being groomed to be the advisor to the future king, but it wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted so much more than that. It didn’t bother him that he wasn’t going to be king. He knew Thor, as the older son, would be the one to inherit the throne first. What Loki wanted was the opportunity to travel, to see the world and find his own place in it, but he couldn’t do that being groomed as an advisor for Thor. It wasn’t like the older man would listen to him. He never did.

It didn’t make it any better that he had dreamed that dream. It was a memory from his childhood. In the years since then, he’d heard the story over and over again. It never sat well with him, the war with the Frost Giants. Yes, the Aesir had won the war in fair combat, but something always nagged at Loki about the story.

There was also the pull of the source of power his father had brought back. The Casket of Ancient Winters, as it was called by the Jotuns, the prize the warriors took for their victory. Loki had always felt a strange connection to it. It was if the power source called to him for some inexplicable reason. Loki had asked his father about it once, only to be brushed off in a diplomatic way.

So, Loki had dropped it like a good son, though it had never set right with him. He couldn’t help his thoughts questioning what the All Father was hiding, but one didn’t question the wisdom of the King of Asgard. It was all a joke.

Loki groaned at the thought as he made the decision to get up for the day. He had to be ready for the coronation in a few hours anyway. If his plans went the way that he hoped, there wouldn’t be a coronation today and his father would see Thor for the rash fool he was. There would be no way to hide the man’s naivety and brash nature from the people and his father after this happened.

Loki couldn’t stop what he had set into motion, even if he wanted to. Things were set into motion that he didn’t have the power to stop. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to regret what he had done. If no one would listen to his words, he would make them listen with his actions even if they were a bit extreme.

He bathed and then dressed carefully. The royal family would be wearing their finest clothes and ceremonial armor to honor the king to be. He was willing to do what he had to in order to honor his people. He did care about his family and his people even if they didn’t see his heart and desire to serve them.

It took a while to get ready. Loki tried to eat, but he didn’t have much of an appetite with his thoughts being the way that they were. He was jittery, nervous about what was to come, how it would all turn out. On top of that was the stress of the ceremony. He needed to relax, but he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to accomplish that. He remained on edge up until a servant came to fetch him.

He was to meet Thor just before the ceremony and then walk their mother down to the throne. It was truly an honor to do that. His mother was the person in his family that he respected the most. She was a woman of integrity and she was the one who had guided him in learning magic. Loki was very close to her and one of his truest wishes was to make sure that she was proud of him and his accomplishments.

Loki made his way down to wait in the hall. Thor wasn’t anywhere in sight, but it was only a matter of time. He had to wonder if the infamous God of Thunder was afraid. Then the far doors pushed open and the oaf came in, spinning the hammer in his hand, his steps with purpose. His body was shadowed in the hallway, so Loki couldn’t see his face yet, but the man tipped his head back as if he was drinking something before tossing the goblet into the flames in front of him.

“Another!” The other man bellowed behind the flames that had risen to cover his frame. Loki was off to the side, so he stepped around a column to get his first look at his older brother. Thor walked right up next to him, a small smirk gracing his features. It was bravado, Loki knew it and wouldn’t waste any time in teasing the man for it. He smirked, amused by his own thoughts and Thor’s clear discomfort.

“Nervous, Brother?”

Thor laughed out loud. “Have you ever known me to be nervous?”

Loki thought about it for a moment. “Well, there was the time in Nornheim.”

“That was not nerves, Brother. That was the rage of battle.”

“Ah, I see.” Loki knew he didn’t sound convincing, but he wasn’t trying to.

“How else could I have fought my way through 100 warriors and pull us out alive?”

“Uh…as I recall, I was the one who veiled us in smoke to ease our escape.”

Thor laughed again, agreeing with him, but Loki could tell that Thor was just like the rest of their people. He saw no value in Loki’s magic and never had. Most likely never would. It was that moment that one of the servants brought a new goblet around for Thor as he had requested.

“Yes,” Thor started off. “…some do battle, others just do tricks.”

Loki seethed at the comment, but didn’t let it show. More so when the servant began to laugh, though it was muffled. Loki glared at the man. With a simple wave of his hand, three poisonous snakes rose out of the goblet. The servant yelped, dropping the tray and stepping back as the snakes moved away from him. The servant looked up at him this time with shock on his face. Loki laughed at his discomfort.

“Loki!” Thor warned. “Now that was just a waste of good wine.”

“Oh, it was just a bit of fun. Right, my friend?”

The servant just stared blankly at them. Loki’s amusement faded and waved his hands causing the snakes to disappear in a greenish glow. The brothers both laughed as the servant bent down to pick up the tray and the goblet, clearly uncomfortable with what had just happened. He scurried away quickly hoping to never have to be the one to serve the brothers again. Thor grew quiet after a moment and Loki watched as one of the _Einherjar_ brought Thor his winged helmet.

For a moment, Thor looked legitimately nervous despite his best efforts to hide it. The weight of his helmet must have felt heavy. It was if giving him the helmet made this so much more real than it was. Despite their differences and his anger, Loki wanted to cheer Thor up a little bit. He glanced down at the helmet and pressed his lips together.

“Oooo, nice feathers.”

Thor laughed again, his attention away from the matter at hand. “You don’t really want to start this again, do you, cow?”

Loki ignored the jab. “I was being sincere.”

“You are incapable of sincerity.”

“Am I?”

“Yes.” Thor sounded sure of himself. Loki knew he was about to lie, but if it helped his brother a little, well, maybe it was worth it.

“I’ve looked forward to this day as long as you have, you’re my brother and my friend. Sometimes I’m envious, but never doubt that I love you."

Thor reached up and touched him on his armor around the neck and face. It was a warrior’s gesture of affection and it made Loki smile.

“Thank you.” Thor spoke with gratitude and sincerity. Loki thought he could push his luck just a little bit more.

“Now give us a kiss?”

Thor chuckled, tapping Loki’s chest plate with a light punch. “Stop it.”

The two stood in silence for a moment, facing forward, waiting for their mother to join them for the ceremony. They wouldn’t look at each other as Thor’s nerves settled back in. “Really, how do I look?”

Loki glanced over at him, but Thor refused to look back. It would be best for him to go to the most diplomatic answer available even if it was another lie. “Like a king.”

They waited in silence for another moment when Loki caught sight of their mother. She was beautiful covered in gold with her hair done up. There was always a regal look to Queen Frigga that no man would ever be able to match. Her arrival meant that everything was ready and it was time to go.

“It’s time.” Loki commented at her approach.

“You go ahead.” Loki glanced at Thor. They were all to go down together before he would escort their mother out followed closely by Thor. “I’ll be along, go on.”

Loki nodded and headed for their mother. Her eyes lit up at his approach and she was quick to embrace her younger son.

“How is he?” The words of a concerned mother escaped her as she looked past him at her older son.

“He is nervous. I tried to reassure him, but I doubt anything will.”

Frigga looked over his face, cupping his cheek. “And no doubt you teased him. You are both so competitive.”

She looked like she contemplated going to Thor, but when he smiled at her, putting on his battle helmet, she turned her gaze back to Loki.

“I know we have not had the opportunity to speak on this, but I need to know, Loki. Are you truly all right with this?”

Loki managed a brilliant smile for her. He had to believe in his own lies with his mother, otherwise she would see right through them.

“Of course. I always knew that Thor being the oldest would be the first to ascend to the throne. I will be there standing by to aid him in any way that I can.”

Loki took his mother’s hands in his, squeezing lightly in reassurance. “It is an honor to serve my brother, my closest friend, and my king. It is my hope to serve our people….together.”

He must have been very convincing as she looked as though she may cry with happiness. She fought it though. The last thing they needed today was for her to give in to tears.

“I am so proud of you, both of you. You are both the fine men that I always hoped you would grow up to be. Now come, we have to get into position to walk down to the throne.”

Loki took a deep breath and came to stand next to her. He held up his hand for his mother to lay her hand on top. He would escort her anywhere and was proud to do so. They made their way to the entrance to the great hall to wait for their turn.

Thousands of Asgardians were gathered in and around the hall. They had been invited to witness the crowning of their new king and pay their respects. They cheered aloud as each group was called down to the front. Odin was already sitting on the throne holding his mighty spear dressed in his finest ceremonial battle armor. He looked quite old, but regal sitting on the throne.

Asgard’s finest warriors were the next to be called. Lady Sif and the Warriors Three were the finest of fighters the realm had in this era. They were even more famous as they were well known to be Thor’s closest friends and companions. All four warriors, like Loki, were well known to follow Thor into battle and pull him out of trouble. It had been Thor’s wish that they be a part of the ceremony as they would continue to serve him as they had Odin.

Then it was Frigga’s and Loki’s turn to walk down the aisle. Loki reveled a bit at the cheering, smiling and nodding to the people. Frigga had a bright smile on her face, catching the gaze of several of the people. Loki knew it was his mother that the people were cheering for, but caught up in the moment, he could believe that they were there for him, shouting for him.

They took their positions on Odin’s right side with Frigga, as Queen, standing above Loki. Loki smiled and nodded to the warriors across from them. Sif’s smile faltered a bit, but she recovered while both Fandral and Volstagg managed to keep their smiles in place. They weren’t as close to Loki as they were to Thor and some of Loki’s antics were strong enough for at least Sif to hold a grudge. She wasn’t too happy as she was the one who had to move to stand at the base of the stairs next to Loki to make the sides look more even. Hogun wasn’t really smiling, but he managed to nod at his prince as the warriors readjusted their positions before the sounds of the loudest cheering yet filled the hall.

Standing at the top of the stairs, a wide smile on his face as he cried out in triumph, was Thor. Mjolnir was held above his head as he began his rather boisterous walk down the aisle. He stepped down the stairs between the lines of _Einherjar making a show of it as he walked. He flipped the hammer high into the air, catching it and laughing._

_“Oh, please.” Sif rolled her eyes and Loki fought the smirk. It was just like Thor to make a spectacle, but he wasn’t terribly amused by it anymore. Instead, he focused on his mother, who turned to look at her husband to hide her faint smile._

_Thor continued to cause a stir in the crowd, trying to get them to continue. With every yell of encouragement, they yelled back at him, further provoking him to continue. Loki had to wonder how their father managed to keep a neutral face through the whole thing, but Odin must have seen many more ridiculous things in all his years that Thor’s antics didn’t faze him and never had._

_When Thor made it to the bottom of the stairs where his family and friends stood, he paused to look up at his father. Giving the King the respect he deserved, he kneeled down, placing the weapon on the floor and took off his helmet so that his father could see his face. Before looking at his father again, he glanced to his brother, then his mother, blinking at her in jest._

_Frigga’s lips pressed into a tight line as she shook her head slightly. If Odin saw that, well there were a great many things he might do to teach their oldest son a lesson._ As it was, Odin was rising to his feet and all attention turned to the man. Thor glanced at his friends with a smile as Odin tapped the heel of his spear on the throne once. The clang it made caused everyone to go silent. The ceremony was beginning.

“Thor Odinson, my heir, my firstborn.” Odin’s words rang out into the room. Loki couldn’t look as the man’s words wavered, filled with emotion. Odin had never talked about him with the same emotion. It hurt more than he thought it would and he had promised himself that he wouldn’t let this affect him. He took a few deep breaths, trying to stop the pain in his chest as their father continued.

“So long entrusted with the mighty hammer Mjolnir, forged in the heart of a dying star, its power had no equal, as a weapon to destroy or as a tool to build. ‘Tis a fit companion for a king. I have defended Asgard and the lives of the innocent across the Nine Realms from the time of the great beginning. The day has come…”

Loki was trying hard to pay attention to the words his father was staying, but something felt off to him. It was if a switch was flipped and he knew what was happening. His plan had worked and they had come. He wasn’t completely sure how he knew, but he was fighting the whole time to keep his face neutral, even as he felt the strange pull of ice in his veins and his body went cold.

Below them, several on duty Einherjar were walking in the vault. This was the place where their king kept many of their most dangerous treasures and trophies of battles won long ago. As they approached the casket, one of them froze at the sound of cackling ice. At least that’s what he thought he heard and his senses were alert as he looked around the vault.

Back up above, Odin had begun to read off the vows that all kings of the Nine Realms strove to follow, especially on Asgard. As he stood above his son, his warriors, and his people, he began to ask those all so important questions, pausing to allow his son to answer.

“Do you swear to guard the Nine Realms?”

“I swear.”

“And do you swear to preserve the peace?”

“I swear.”

“Do you swear to cast aside all selfish ambition and to pledge yourself only to the good of the Realms?”

“I swear!” Thor shouted, holding Mjolnir above his head. Loki wanted to shake his head. Thor could swear all he wanted, but with his attitude, he would fail in his promises to his people.

“Then, on this day, I, Odin Allfather, proclaim you…”

Odin fell silent, his one visible eye turning away as if he was looking at something far beyond normal sight. Thor’s smile began to fade and the look on his face was one of shock at his father’s next words.

“The Frost Giants!”

In the vault, the water surrounding the walkways began to freeze over. The alert guard leaned down to look at the ice, not believing his eyes as he simultaneously wondered what was doing this. In the reflection behind him, red eyes stared back as he was grabbed from behind by the throat and his neck snapped.

Odin could see as the trio of men ran down the hall for their prize. So they had come for the Casket. As one of the giants grabbed it and they turned to go, Odin slammed his staff down in command, activating the ultimate guardian he had in that vault. The Destroyer would bring an end to these sneaky thieves.

The gateway fell away and the Destroyer stepped out in pursuit of the giants. The men turned and the one holding the casket attempted to fire, but was blown to pieces before he could even fire a shot of ice. The other two began to run, but it was no use as the Destroyer struck them too.

When the light and fire cleared, all that was left were the bits and pieces of the giants, the ice left by their attack and the casket abandoned on the floor. Odin and his sons were quick to leave the Great Hall and head down to see what had happened in the vault.

The destroyer was already stepping back into its cage to standby and await orders. The usually warm feel of the vault was now haunted by the combination of a frosty and fiery death. Loki and Thor looked around at the brutal horror of it all. Loki thought it was sad, trying not think about what he had done. Thor was furious.

“The Jotuns must pay for what they’ve done!” Thor spoke low and was controlled.

“They have paid, with their lives.” Odin casually spoke as he picked up the Casket and placed it back where it belonged. “The Destroyer did its work, the Casket is safe, and all is well.”

“All is well? They broke into the weapons vault! If the Frost Giants had stolen even one of these relics…” The anger was beginning to color his tone.

“They didn’t.” Odin pointed out.

“Well, I want to know why!” Thor shouted. Loki remained silent as he glanced between the two men. Maybe his plan had worked better than he had thought.

“I have a truce with Laufey, King of the Jotuns.”

“He just broke your truce! They know you are vulnerable!” Thor made his own point.

“What action would you take?”

“March into Jotunheim as you once did. Teach them a lesson. Break their spirits so they’ll never dare to cross our borders again.”

“You’re thinking only as a warrior.” Odin sounded disappointed. He had almost made his son King of Asgard. They would be going to war if he had.

“This was an act of war!”

“It was the act of but a few, doomed to fail.”

“Look how far they got!” Thor’s voice was no longer controlled, every word shouted.

“We will find the breach in our defenses and it will be sealed.”

“As King of Asgard…”

“But you’re not king!” Odin shouted, finally showing his anger at his heir. “Not yet.”

Thor looked angry and defeated by this. Loki masked his emotions. It had worked, his plan had succeeded. Part of him was giddy at the prospects that he had delayed his brother’s ascension to the throne. The other part of him felt guilty for his part in this. As he watched Thor stomp away and his father turned away, he wondered if he really had done the right thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! I did it and my awesome beta was able to get this one back to me in time to post it today. I wanted to give you guys a little treat for sticking around with me for a whole year. I'm excited to have made it this far and I hope to keep going strong over the next couple of months to get this finished. I have Thor and Avengers to do, plus I'm trying to finish Before We Go, since that's my Captain America equivalent to this rodeo. I'll be working on these stories for July Camp NaNoWriMo, so be on the look out for updates on Sunday.
> 
> I think I'm going to have one or two more chapters surrounding the Asgardians before we head back to Earth. If you guys read the chapter yesterday, you guys have probably figured out who came to Earth with Thor even if I didn't give a name away. It changes a lot for this cannon, so I hope I don't disappoint you. Also, I would like to point out that most of the pre-coronation scene with Thor and Loki came from a deleted scene. I wanted to bring that aspect in because I loved that scene so much. There's another one I want to add a bit later in the story, but this is all I'm teasing for now. I do love Loki's and Thor's relationship and how chaotic it is even though, at least at this point, they do still care for each other. I get to play with that a bit, so it's fun!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy the extra chapter. I should be back on Sunday with another one and I'm hoping to have the next chapter of Before We Go done as well. Please let me know what you think with comments and kudos and if you want to come play elsewhere, follow my social media pages below. Until next time!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram/Twitter:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (Still working on the next chapter! I'll get it out at some point.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 6 Posted - 05/24/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	47. A Special Brand of Madness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor defies his father to get answers...and sparks a war.

By the time Loki was able to find his brother, the man was in an agitated state. Thor paced back and forth in the banquet hall, his hands clenched into fists. Loki saw when irrationality took over as the brute walked to the closest table and flipped it, sending food flying all over the floor. The servants wouldn’t be too happy about the mess, but they would clean it up without complaint. After all, their crown prince was responsible for it.

Loki had expected this. Thor’s first response to anything not going his way was anger and destruction. His first thought was always to head off into battle when someone offended him. For that alone, Loki was grateful that his plan had shown their father that Thor was not ready for the throne. He still felt guilty for his part in it. That was why he was here, to comfort his brother and maybe give a little push in the right direction. Loki waited until Thor sat down on the steps before approaching him, sitting down next to him. Thor glanced back briefly at him before turning away again.

“It is unwise to be in my company right now, Brother. This was to be my day of triumph.” Thor bit out between clenched teeth.

“It’ll come. In time.”

Loki responded to the anger with calm thoughtfulness. He had no doubt that the day would come and Thor would take the throne. Today was not that day and Loki doubted it would happen again anytime soon. He would have said more, tried to reassure his brother, but their conversation was interrupted before it could go anywhere.

“What’s this?” Volstagg exclaimed as he and the other warriors closest to Thor walked in to the mess in the hall. The man looked disappointed at the waste of all that food. Loki and Thor looked over at them briefly and Loki knew if he was going to get any word in, he would have to do so quickly.

“If it’s any consolation, I think you’re right. About the Frost Giants, about Laufey, about everything. If they found a way to penetrate Asgard’s defenses once, who’s to say they won’t try again? Next time with an army.”

“Exactly.”

Loki hoped that his words would at least pacify Thor for now. The last thing they needed was for the man to do something dangerously reckless with his anger. With their father’s orders set against them, Loki knew Thor wouldn’t disobey no matter how much they might want to. They would be forced to wait to take action, but if Thor at least saw that he had an ally in this, they would be just fine.

“There’s nothing you can do without defying Father.” Loki added, cementing his previous thoughts with his words. Thor looked over at him, his blue eyes hard and fierce. It was then that Loki realized his mistake. “No, no, no. I know that look.”

“That’s the only way to ensure the safety of our borders.” Thor stood, stepping away.

“Thor, it’s madness.” Loki insisted, trying to stop this before the others chimed in.

“Madness? What sort of madness?” Volstagg asked from where he was stuffing his plate with cheeses and bread. Loki was too late. Why did they have to discuss anything in front of Thor’s friends?

“We’re going to Jotunheim.” Thor told them with a straight face. Loki’s jaw clenched in his own anger. Why didn’t this oaf listen?

“What?” Fandral asked, Thor having gotten his attention. “This isn’t like a journey to Earth where you summon a little lightning and thunder, and the mortals worship you as a god. This is Jotunheim.”

“My father fought his way into Jotunheim, defeated their armies and took their Casket. We would just be looking for answers.”

Loki put his face in his palm and rubbed his forehead. That was the part of the problem, looking for answers. It would take one arrogant Jotun, one disrespectful remark, and seeking would become fighting. There was only one small chance to stop Thor and that was if his friends could persuade him out of it.

“It is forbidden!” Sif pointed out again, but Thor didn’t seem to care about that. In fact, he started to chuckle as if this was all just a game. Slowly he began to approach them.

“My friends, have you forgotten all that we have done together? Fandral, Hogun. Who led you into the most glorious of battles?” Thor walked up to Hogun who hadn’t said anything yet. The usually grim man looked as though he managed a small smile at the memories brought on by the question.

“You did.” Hogun gave in and answered.

“And Volstagg, to delicacies so succulent, you thought you’d died and gone to Valhalla?”

Volstagg chuckled. “You did.”

“Yes.” Thor cheered as he patted the man on the shoulder before turning to the last member of the party. “And who proved wrong all who scoffed at the idea that a young maiden could be one of the fiercest warriors this realm has ever known?”

“I did.” Sif sounded a little miffed. Thor floundered for a moment and Loki’s smirk was back for an instant, amused at Sif’s response.

“True, but I supported you, Sif. My friends, we’re going to Jotunheim.”

Loki knew that the argument had been lost after that. Thor wouldn’t be dissuaded with words right now. Still, he wasn’t about to let Thor and his idiot friends go into another realm, a dangerous realm filled with their enemies, without him. He may not be considered the warriors they were, but he could fight and win. At least if he went, there’d be a better chance of them coming back alive.

~~~~~

It took some time for them to get ready. They all had to change from their ceremonial armor to their regular battle armor. Weapons and a small amount of provisions would be needed in case they had an extended stay on Jotunheim. None of them wanted to get stuck there, but it was better if they were a little prepared.

They met in the courtyard closest to the stables. Thor had already arranged for horses to be waiting for them. It would cut their travel time to the observatory. Once they were there, they would have to figure out how to persuade the gatekeeper to send them where they wanted to go. If Heimdall wouldn’t let them pass, then there was no hope for their mission. Loki was banking on that. Surely if Heimdall knew of their father’s wishes, he wouldn’t allow Thor off the realm.

When they rode up, the gate keep stood outside of the observatory, facing them. He stood tall and still, dressed in his battle armor, his sword in his hand. If the warriors didn’t know that Heimdall was always like that, they would have thought him a statue. As they approached, Loki stepped ahead looking back at Thor.

“You leave this to me.” He smiled brightly at the man in front of him before beginning. “Good Heimdall…”

“You’re not dressed warmly enough.” Heimdall cut him off.

“I’m sorry?” Loki wanted to curse his fate. Of course, Heimdall knew why they were there and what they wanted. Those all seeing eyes of his. Never mind that, he would play dumb and try again.

“Do you think that you can deceive me?”

Loki laughed. “You must be mistaken…”

“Enough!” Thor cut in, impatient as always. He approached, walking past Loki to gaze at the face of the gatekeeper. “Heimdall, may we pass?”

“Never has an enemy slipped my watch until this day. I wish to know how that happened.” Even if it wasn’t direct permission, his answer told them everything they wanted to know.

“Then tell no one where we have gone until we’ve returned. Understand?” Thor ordered, stomping past the man who turned to follow him into the observatory. Loki was glad that his face didn’t flush in his anger, and yes he was angry. His last attempt to stop this madness just slipped through his fingers.

The others moved to walk past them. Volstagg was the only one of them to say anything as he walked by. While Loki was used to the usual verbal jabs and jokes, this one got to him. It was probably due to the fact that he was fuming, but he didn’t analyze his emotions too carefully.

“What happened? Silver tongue turned to lead?”

Oh how he wanted to punch the tub of lard in the jaw for that one. He had a gift with his words, but no one of value was willing to listen to him. His patience was running thin as he followed the group to attempt this crazy task.

The six warriors walked around to the far side of the room to where they could see out to the starts. Heimdall climbed up stairs in the center of the room. Heimdall’s sword serve as a key to the mechanism that would transport them across the universe to their destination. The sword slid into the mechanism, the sound of metal scraping against metal echoed in the chamber. The power surged through the room, flashing like white lightning as it struck specific points in the room. It was all very familiar to them, but the atmosphere was tense as nerves creeped up on them.

The walls of the room began to spin and shift. The observatory was designed to produce the energy to propel them to the other realms. The needle like fixture on the top shifted down, pointing their way. Light surged forth, building up the energy needed for the transfer.

“Be warned. I will honor my sworn oath to protect this realm as its Gatekeeper. If your return threatens the safety of Asgard, the Bifrost will remain closed to you and you’ll be left to die in the cold waste of Jotunheim.”

“Couldn’t you just leave the bridge open for us?” Volstagg asked, his voice wavered a bit.

“To leave the bridge open would unleash the full power of the Bifrost and destroy Jotunheim with you upon it.”

Thor smirked at the words. “I have no plans to die today.”

“None do.” Heimdall pointed out as he pushed his sword down activating the transfer.

The Bifrost pulled them in. It was a little disorienting as they flew weightless surrounded by the color spectrum that made up the light. The colors swirled through a vortex. It was so fast that if you blinked, you missed most of the ride. They landed, six bullets onto the icy surface. Their arrival kicked up a bit of the snow as their senses readjusted and the coldness of the barren realm set in.

It was snowing lightly. They were standing on the edge of the cliff surrounded by large ice structures and rock formations. The land that led up to these structures was barren…and devoid of life. It was eerie as they looked around for any sign of life.

“We shouldn’t be here.” Hogun spoke the words they were all thinking.

“Let’s move.” Thor ordered taking point as they walked towards the ice. As they walked, they heard the loud cracking of ice. A piece of the structure broke off and crumbled as it fell. The sound echoed giving them a chill that had nothing to do with the weather.

Loki couldn’t help looking around. This land was dying. Its buildings were still scarred from the war that happened long ago. The whole atmosphere felt strange and it made him more alert. His head snapped around as he heard another sound. Most likely more ice crackling in the distance. They moved over the rocks and debris, continuing to look around and finding nothing.

“Where are they?” Sif asked glancing from one side to the other.

“Hiding, as cowards always do.” Thor responded as they walked towards a large ice wall. They could see stairways on each side that lead up into the structure.

“You’ve come a long way to die, Asgardians.” A deep throaty voice growled low at them. They looked up to see a single Jotun sitting up on a throne on a balcony. He wasn’t looking at them, but he knew they were there and what they were doing.

“I am Thor Odinson!” Thor announced himself to the man above.

“We know who you are.” The creature growled back.

“How did your people get into Asgard?” Thor demanded.

The creature finally turned to look at them, his red eyes illuminated by the dim light of their moon. His skin was wrinkled and worn. This man was old and by his posture, the fact that he was sitting on the throne, this was probably Laufey.

“The House of Odin is full of traitors.”

“Do not dishonor my father’s name with your lies!” Thor shouted up at the man.

That caused the man to climb to his feet. He was already an impressive size, but the fact that he was up on a balcony above him made him look grander than he already was.

“Your father is a murderer and a thief! And why have you come here? To make peace? You long for battle. You crave it. You’re nothing but a boy trying to prove himself a man.” The Jotun King spat out. As he spoke, his men surrounded the outsiders. All but the son of Odin turned around preparing for the attack to come.

“Well, this ‘boy’ has grown tired of your mockery.” As Thor threatened, several Jotun soldiers encased their arms in ice, allowing it to extend from the limb into a sharp point. Loki was the one to move. They were in danger and needed to go before this broke out into a full on battle. They were outnumbered and clearly at a disadvantage.

“Thor, stop and think. Look around you, we’re outnumbered.”

Thor shrugged him off. “Know your place, Brother.”

Loki went still at those words. His brother had never talked to him in that way. He didn’t like it, but now was not the time to discuss this.

“You know not what your actions would unleash. I do.” Laufey turned away from them. “Go now, while I still allow it.”

Loki put his hand on his brother’s chest when he realized one of the giants was heading directly for them. Thor was tense, running on adrenaline, readying himself for the fight to come. Loki had to do something to stop this.

“We will accept your most gracious offer.”

Thor glared at him before turning back on the enemy. Loki pulled him back. It was obvious that he wasn’t happy about this, but he took a step back showing Loki he was pulling back.

“Come on, Brother.” Loki’s tone betrayed the anger he was still feeling towards Thor. The older brother lingered glaring up at the Jotun in front of him before finally turning around to follow them out of this place.

“Run back home, little princess.”

“Damn.” Loki cursed. He knew this was going to happen. There was the one idiot Jotun who had to say something stupid instead of letting things lie. Thor hadn’t even taken two steps before the creature had spoken. Things were about to get ugly, all because Thor couldn’t keep his anger in check.

Thor grinned, dropping Mjolnir’s handle all the way down to his palm. The metal vibrated, ringing out. It was the last thing the Jotun heard as Thor spun around, slamming the hammer into the creature and sending him flying into the wall behind him.

“Next?” Without missing a beat, Thor swung again knocking another giant away from him. It was enough that the hoard began to charge the prince and his companions. Thor continued to knock away his enemies, sending the large creatures flying with his skills.

Meanwhile, Hogun had activated his mace, swinging it at one of the giants coming for him. Sif swung out her double bladed sword and attacked her own enemies. Fandral laughed, using his rapier to knock a giant’s icy hand out of the way. Loki launched a knife from his hand, the blade hitting the arm of a Jotun with such force that it fell backwards into the creature behind it, the ice on his arm shattering at the same time. A brute of a Jotun faced down the large might of Volstagg. It managed a hit as the man swung his weapon up kneeing it in the stomach. He turned in time to see Thor slam a Jotun to the ground before kicking it away from him.

Laufey looked down at the battle with disgust. How dare these upstart Asgardians come to wage war on his realm. The Jotun may not have been as powerful as they used to be, but they had their pride. They would not let these children escape.

“At least make it a challenge for me!” Thor called out to the creatures, further angering the Jotun king. He looked up to where several of his warriors were leaping off a cliff to join the battle below. Many more had been summoned by the arrival of the outsiders and would be here soon. It didn’t matter how well these warriors fought, the numbers would soon overwhelm them.

A large warrior slammed his fist into the ground forcing ice up to knock Hogun in the face. The man flipped backwards slamming into the ground behind him. The creature roared a battle cry which Thor imitated getting his attention. The Jotun stalked over to Thor, catching the prince’s arm as it swung before slamming his head down to butt the prince.

Thor laughed, unfazed by the strike and that was when the creature punched, sending him backwards. Thor had to duck and roll, but when he looked back up at his current foe, he was smiling a knowing smile, as if he knew he still had the upper hand. “That’s more like it.”

Now that they were a significant distance away, he brought his arm back, launching Mjolnir at the giant, hitting him right in the face. The creature fell as the hammer hovered for a moment in the air, before flying back to Thor’s outstretched hand.

Behind him, Sif struggled as a Jotun took hold of her sword, kneeing her in the stomach. She fell back onto the ground, trying to get up before the creature charged before she saw a glint of metal sail over her head. Rolling onto her stomach, she looked up to see Hogun panting for a moment before turning his attention back to another warrior. She would thank him later.

Across the battle ground, another Jotun cried out as it ran directly for the other Asgardian prince. Loki stepped back looking for an exit before realizing he was on the border of a cliff. The creature was coming directly for him, flying through the air as it to grab him, and sliding through a projection as it fell down into the pit below. The real Loki stood behind an ice pillar, smirking as he flicked his hand, willing the illusion away. A little invisibility and solid magical projection was all it took to get to safety. It was years of study that he now did effortlessly and it was nothing more than a simple trick to these warriors. Well he had showed one of them how good he was.

Loki returned to the fray just in time to see Sif stab at one of the creatures. Several others flinged ice shards at her, but she managed to bring up her shield in time to block them. Volstagg was continuing to battle particularly large Jotun when it reached out to grab a bare spot of flesh in the gaps of his armor. Volstagg cried out at the pain, head butting the creature back before looking down at the damage. A large black handprint was left on his arm and although it appeared the creature had tried to freeze him, the effects were similar to a burn. He tried to focus, breathe through the pain. He had to warn the others.

“Don’t let them touch you!” He cried out, glancing at Thor and Sif, who were still striking out at the others that were coming after them.

For Loki the call came too late as he slammed his knife into the gut of one of the creatures. In a last ditch effort, the creature grabbed the thin armor on the Asgardian’s arm, freezing away the metal to get at flesh. Loki braced for the pain, trying to pull his hand away, but instead of freezing, the flesh turned blue, Jotun blue, all the way down to his fingertips.

His eyes went wide as he turned, catching the red gaze of his opponent. The creature was not shocked, though it looked at Loki, silently accusing him of something Loki didn’t want to give a name to. In panic, he sliced through the creature’s throat, anything to get rid of that look. When it fell, releasing his arm, Loki noticed the lines that seemed to be carved into his skin as slowly, the pale color returned as if the blue had never been there. Slowly, Loki flipped his hand over, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just witnessed before a cry caused him to turn back and focus on the battle.

Fandral’s laughter cut through the battle as Loki watched a Jotun knock away his sword. Loki sent a knife flying into another approaching enemy, half paying attention to Fandral in case the man needed aid. It didn’t look like it as Fandral charged, sliding on the ice between the creatures legs to take hold of his sword. Spinning around, he swung, cutting off the warrior’s ice covered arm before stabbing him in the heart.

Fandral casually switched the sword to his more dominant hand, not paying attention to what was going on around him. He missed the Jotun thrusting a fist into the ground causing long ice spikes to rise up, piercing the Asgardian in his left soldier. Loki turned at the pain filled cry, now too far to do anything. With Volstagg and now Fandral injured, they needed to retreat. They couldn’t keep this up for much longer. Still he was within range to kill the Jotun grinning in triumph, so he launched a knife full force right into the beast’s skull. By this point, the other Asgardians had their sights set on their injured friend. Well, all but Thor who was still concerned with the battle in front of him.

“Thor!” Sif called out for him as she and Hogun moved towards Fandral.

Volstagg came up from the other side. He and Hogun moved to aid Fandral as Sif turned to block an attack.

“We must go!” Loki called moving towards his brother.

“Then go!” Thor shouted back, turning his focus back on the fight.

If Loki could have reached the man, he would have probably slugged him, but as that wasn’t an option and he was the practical sort, he went to help the others break through the barrage of Jotun to reach the cliff so they could call for Heimdall. It appeared, though, that they weren’t needed.

Thor spun Mjolnir in his hand like a sideways top, striking the closest Jotun before using the momentum to launch the hammer out away from him. One by one, Jotun warriors were hit, falling to the ground as a path was cleared for the Asgardians to get out.

Laufey scowled in disgust at the casual use of power. His men were rusty, not having been in serious combat for many years. He would show the son of Odin the might they still had. He would unleash one of his greatest assets to hunt down and kill them. He touched the wall next to him, awakening a large beast from where it had been encased in ice.

The ground shook under their feet as they stared up at the mammoth beast. Volstagg was quick to get down and pick up Fandral on his shoulders. It would be the quickest way to get the man out of here and he was the one who would be the swiftest carrying the extra weight.

“Run,” Volstagg yelled, shocking them into taking off. As they ran, Loki glanced back to see his brother swinging Mjolnir in that same swift circular motion as he cast Jotun after Jotun aside. The man wasn’t following him, so Loki thought to call out to him. “Thor!”

It was too late, they had to get out of here. They had to get away while they had a chance. The group took off before the beast could get fully free of the ice, managing to cover the distance quickly despite the uneven ground. Thor was now out of sight when they glanced back, but the beast was heading for them.

Despite its size it was quick, running on four legs as it propelled its body forward. Every time its feet touched the ground, the fleeing warriors could feel the shifting under their feet. As it got closer, one of the structures fell on top of it, but it didn’t seem to faze the beast as the body reappeared close to Sif, fighting to pull out of the debris. It swung its spiked tail, narrowly missing Sif as the spikes sank into the ice. She continued to run as the beast would need a moment to free the tail and charge after them again.

Though the runners couldn’t see Thor, he could see that his friends and his brother were in danger even as he kicked up his own ice shards up at the persistent warriors using Mjolnir. Spinning the hammer up in a round he could see that the warriors had all regroup and were coming at him at once.

He held the mighty hammer up to the sky, summoning the lightning from the sky. The hammer not only served to summon the power, but also as a conductor. Thor slammed the hammer into the ground in front of him. The force was enough to send several giants flying as the icy ground broke and fell from beneath them.

The ice spread out, cracking under the weight of the great beast. Fandral laughed as he watched the beast fall through the cracks in the ice. It became a bit dangerous as the ice fell out around them and they had to jump over gaps on the ground. They managed to reach the cliff, skidding to a stop at the edge.

“Heimdall!” Volstagg called. “Open the bridge!”

They got no response from above. After a moment, they were startled as a clawed paw slammed down in front of them. Slowly, the creature pulled itself up snarling at them. Large fangs hung out of its large mouth, flexing as the beast growled. Red eyes bore down on them and for an instant, they thought they were in huge trouble with no help on the way. The creature roared, pulling itself higher to sit on the ledge. It stood on two legs, towering above the warriors causing them to cringe and gasp in their fear.

Thor wasn’t about to let the beast harm his friends. Mjolnir had one more trick to aid him. It allowed him to fly, propelling great distances. It would allow him to reach the cliff in moments. He spun swinging the hammer outward, flying behind it as a bright red bullet. The beast opened its mouth and Thor grinned as he flew in, piercing through flesh and out the other side. The beast fell, slamming into the ice, causing the warriors to scatter so it wouldn’t land on them. Its mouth was open to reveal the wide hole in the back of its throat to all who were looking at it.

Thor landed with a thump, Mjolnir resting on the ground. As he stood, the creature slowly slid from the cliff into the abyss below them. Thor turned to grin as the biggest challenge they had faced here disappeared out of sight, but it faded when he realized that the Jotuns had regrouped. Laufey stood in front of his warriors preparing to join in the fray. Laufey grinned and growled low watching the Odinson sweat for the first time.

There were a handful of heartbeats, of deep breaths and eye sweeps. Then the blue creatures started to head for them in mass when a boom from above startled them to a stop. Eyes gazed up to the sky as the Asgardians were illuminated by a great circle of light. The rainbow descended, revealing Odin in his armor upon his mighty horse. The horse reared up and whinnied, slamming it’s hooves down on the rocks.

“Father! We’ll finish them together!” Thor shouted with glee, happy to see his father. Behind him, Loki could see the look on their father’s face. It was not a happy one.

“Silence!” Odin hissed down at his son causing Thor’s expression to fade. Laufey approached using the ice to propel his body up to stand eye to eye with the other King.

“Allfather.” Laufey greeted, a grin on his face. He knew he had the upper hand here even with Odin’s arrival. Plus, he noticed something. “You look weary.”

“Laufey, end this now.” Odin requested.

“Your boy sought this out.” Laufey pointed out. One by one, the Asgardian warriors’ eyes fell to Thor, focusing on him. He looked upset at this whole thing, but said nothing. He would not embarrass his father by speaking out of turn now.

“You’re right.” Odin agreed. “And these are the actions of a boy, treat them as such. You and I can end this here and now, before there’s further bloodshed.”

Laufey didn’t look too happy about that option. “We are beyond diplomacy now, Allfather. He’ll get what he came for. War and death.”

Odin nodded slightly. “So be it.”

Laufey summoned and ice spear to his hand. He moved to strike while the other king was looking weak. Odin saw the attack, but instead of attacking back, Odin held up his spear, summoning the bifrost to them. Laufey flew back as the seven Asgardians were pulled up and away from the frosty realm…

….and back to Asgard and their fates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it's been a long week, but I managed to get this to my beta on Friday and she got it back to me that night. I've really been looking forward to working on this chapter and the next. I've started on it, and I will hopefully get it done early this week. The story is starting to come together nicely, so hopefully that keeps going.
> 
> That being said, I did manage to get the next chapter of Before We Go done tonight (I refused to put this up until I finished it.) I don't expect my beta to get to it tonight, as I don't know what's going on and I don't want to pressure her because she is awesome, but as soon as she gets it back to me, I'll make the edits and put it up here. I'll post an unedited clip on my writing Tumblr in a little bit and maybe a bonus of my new story I'm working on.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'm still working on this for Camp NaNoWriMo, so there shouldn't be a missed week for a while. Unless I forget, but I haven't in a few months, so we should be good. Please leave comments and Kudos! I enjoy seeing them and they encourage me to keep going! Also feel free to follow me on my social media pages, listed below!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram/Twitter:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (Still working on the next chapter! I'll get it out at some point.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 6 Posted - 05/24/2015)  
> (Chapter 7 will be out this week)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	48. Cast Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki seeks some answers and the brothers are finally punished for their actions.

The lecture began once they hit the floor of the observatory. Odin was furious that his sons had disobeyed his orders. Thor was angry that they didn’t finish what he started.

“Why did you bring us back?” Thor demanded.

“Do you realize what you’ve done? What you’ve started?”

“I was protecting my home.”

“You cannot even protect your friends! How can you hope to protect a kingdom?” Odin yanked Heimdall’s sword out of the mechanism, tossing it to the gatekeeper. The man caught it with ease and silently made his way to stand at his post. “Get him to the healing room. Now!”

Sif, Volstagg, and Hogun didn’t waste any time as they helped Fandral out to where they left the horses. Loki stayed to see the result of what was done. While he wasn’t happy with the turn of events, he was more at ease now that he was back on Asgard. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself, let the adrenaline bleed out of his system. It didn’t help when the arguing picked back up again.

“There won’t be a kingdom to protect if you’re afraid to act. The Jotuns must learn to fear me, just as they once feared you.”

“That’s pride and vanity talking, not leadership. You’ve forgotten everything I taught you about a warrior’s patience.”

“While you wait and be patient, the Nine Realms laugh at us. The old ways are done. You’d stand giving speeches while Asgard falls.”

That riled Odin up. He wouldn’t stand here and be insulted by his son. A son who obviously only ever pretended to listen to the lessons he tried to teach.

“You are a vain, greedy, cruel boy!”

“And you are an old man and a fool!” Thor shouted back, angered further by his father’s words.

The words stopped coming. Both men were breathing heavily as they stared each other down. Loki could feel the tension in the air and he could feel when that tension burst.

“Yes, I was a fool to think you were ready.”

“Father…” Loki tried to step in to say something, but Odin practically growled at him. Loki stopped, stepping back down. It would do no good to have the man’s wrath turn on him.

“Go back to the palace, both of you. I will have to think of a suitable punishment for you. You deliberately disobeyed my orders in going to Jotunheim and you may have started a war with the Frost Giants. For that, you will face severe consequences for your actions.” Odin commanded.

Thor sneered at him looking as though he was about to say something else, but Loki walked over and stopped him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Thor, please, enough for today.” Thor turned to glare at him. “Come on, brother.”

Loki made his way towards the entrance. He glanced back to see Thor had lingered a moment longer to stare up at their father before he began to follow, stomping past Loki without a word. They mounted their horses and began the long trek back to the city.

~~~~~

Several hours went by. Thor had been ordered to remain in his room, once Odin had returned. Loki had returned to his own room as well and found that he didn’t want to be there. He didn’t want to be alone. As the hours went by, he found himself rubbing circles on the hand that had turned blue when the Jotun touched it. What did it mean? Was he not an Asgardian? If that was the case, what was he and how did he get here?

More and more questions filled his mind, but he pushed them away as he changed into more comfortable garments and went to one of the social rooms of the palace. There he found Sif and the other warriors lounging. Fandral was looking much better, nearly fully recovered from being stabbed, but he would probably have to take it easy for a few days. Not that the man would, he enjoyed battle almost as much as Thor did.

Hogan paced around the room, finally coming to sit down next to the fire. Sif was glancing from person to person, even Loki as if he would have the answer to whatever question her mind came up with. Loki walked over to the corner, feeling the pensive air in the room.

“We should never have let him go.” Volstagg spoke up, breaking the nearly unbearable silence.

“There was no stopping him.” Sif quickly pointed out.

“Well at least he’s only imprisoned, not dead.” Fandral added. “Loki, do you know what the King will do?”

Loki shook his head, surprised they would turn to him for answers. “No, the one person I’ve never been very good at reading is my Father and unfortunately, I am in the same position, having followed Thor into Jotunheim. I doubt he would go so far as to kill him though.”

“Well, we would all be dead if that guard hadn’t told Odin where we’d gone.” Fandral added.

It was a very true statement. Fandral would have a nasty scar for a while, a reminder of being stabbed by ice. Volstagg had received a large frozen burn on his skin. Now that they were alone, Hogun was attending to that, wiping a cream on the blackened flesh. Loki swallowed hard and looked down at his hand. True, he had not been physically harmed, he should have been, but his skin… He fought the shudder threatening to course through his body as he looked down at his hand, imagining the Jotun blue on it.

“How did the guard even know?” Volstagg asked suddenly, breaking Loki’s thoughts.

“I told him.” Loki admitted, all eyes turning to him.

“What?” Fandral questioned what he had just heard.

“I told him to go to Odin after we left. He should be flogged for taking so long. We should never have reached Jotunheim.” Loki let the anger fill him up, color his tone a bit.

“You told the guard?” Vostagg shouted, shocked as if Loki committed some great offense.

“I saved our lives…and Thor’s. I had no idea Father would want to punish him severely for what he did.” Loki picked at his hand nervously.

Sif rose to her feet and approached the younger prince. “Loki. You must go to the Allfather and convince him to change his mind.”

“And if I do, then what?” Loki’s voice dropped, sounding a little bit defeated at first before the anger returned. “I love Thor more dearly than any of you, but you know what he is. He’s arrogant. He’s reckless. He’s dangerous. You saw how he was today. Is that what Asgard needs from its king?”

Loki turned and walked away. This was a mistake and he should have known. As he stepped outside, he paused, listening for their reactions. They wouldn’t speak freely in front of him. He already knew they wouldn’t.

“He may speak of the good of Asgard, but he’s always been jealous of Thor.” Sif spoke, frustrated at Loki’s refusal.

“We should be grateful to him. He saved our lives.” Volstagg pointed out.

“Laufey said there were traitors in the House of Odin.” Hogun spoke for the first time, his tone low and clear. “A master of magic could bring three Jotuns into Asgard.”

Loki mentally cursed as he heard the room grow silent for a few moments. He often forgot how much detail Hogun remembered and how good he was at putting things together. If they mentioned it to Odin, he was going to be in big trouble.

“Loki’s always been one for mischief, but you’re talking about something else entirely.” Fandral spoke up, convinced that Loki wouldn’t do anything about this.

Loki took off after that. He strolled down the hall, heading for his room when he stopped. He knew he wasn’t going to have any peace tonight, not until he had some answers. He knew better than to go to Odin right now. The man was still seething over Thor’s foolishness or a big chance that the man would just deflect his questions again. Where could he go for answers?

That was when it clicked. The Casket was the solution. If he was truly an Asgardian, nothing would happen and he could chalk the whole thing up to being some confusing trick by the Jotun. If something happened, well at least then Odin would be unable to ignore him any longer.

He had to go the opposite direction as he made his way to the vault. The prince walked with purpose, though he was paying attention to who he had around him. The last thing he needed was for some idiot to see him in case they had been ordered to stop him for any reason or if he saw someone who would go and find Odin. Fortunately, he didn’t have any issues as he slipped into the vault unnoticed and made his way down the stairs. After the incident with the Jotuns, there weren’t even any guards inside the vault at this time.

He hesitated as he walked up to the Casket. His nerves were starting to get to him as he stared at the white and blue light that filled the power source. The Casket seemed to hum at him, getting louder the closer he got. Hands hovered over the handles, his breath became heavy and he knew he had to just take hold of it. It would give him the answers he needed, even if he feared what may be revealed.

He shook his head, mentally denying his thoughts even as his hands took hold of the handles. The humming got louder as he picked it up, holding it away from his body. That was when he saw it, the blue slowly creeping up his arms.

“Stop!” The voice rang out from behind him, echoing throughout the room.

“Am I cursed?” Loki asked. This couldn’t be real, could it?

“No.” Odin denied.

“What am I?” Loki asked as he put the Casket down. He didn’t need it anymore. It had fulfilled its purpose.

“You’re my son.” Odin answered simply, but something in his tone told Loki that he knew something.

“What more than that?” Loki turned, revealing the blue skin, raised lines, and red eyes, even as it slowly faded back to Aesir pale and green. He stalked his way towards the man standing on the stairs as he laid out his accusations and questions. The time was now to get the answers he sought. “The Casket wasn’t the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it?”

Odin looked down at his son. Despite their differences, the secrets he had kept for a long time, this boy was still his son. He helped to raise him and gave Frigga the freedom to teach Loki magic, nurturing his natural talent. Now, as this man walked towards him, he truly saw a regalness in Loki that he’d never seen before. Here was his son, lost and searching for answers.

“No.” He said finally spoke, deciding now was the time to tell Loki of his origins. “In the aftermath of the battle, I went into the temple and I found a baby. Small for a giant’s offspring. Abandoned, suffering, left to die. Laufey’s son.”

“Laufey’s son.” Loki said, not looking up at Odin. He couldn’t believe it at first. He was not a prince of Asgard. He wasn’t the son of Odin and Frigga. He was not true brother of Thor. Instead he was the son of Laufey, prince of a dying world and a defeated race, taken from his home. Stolen away to Asgard.

It all made sense now. This was why Odin favored Thor. He was not a true son and he never would be. After everything he had done, after all the effort he had put in, after being told time and time again that he was born to be a king…it was all for nothing. It was a lie, hidden behind pale skin and false promises.

“Yes.” Odin spoke, giving confirmation to the lie.

“Why? You were knee-deep in Jotun blood, why would you take me?” He had to know, needed to know why he was taken. Why him?

“You were an innocent child.”

Loki knew better. Odin didn’t do anything without an agenda. It wasn’t because he was a child. Odin had plans for him. Now that he was getting answers, he wasn’t about to let this opportunity pass him by.

“No. You took me for a purpose. What was it?” Odin just stared down at him, silently. His emotions surged, his anger and frustration escaping all at once. He wanted the honest truth for once, and he broke shouting at the man. “Tell me!”

“I thought we could united our kingdoms one day. Bring about an alliance, bring about permanent peace. Through you.”

“What?” Loki was confused and then he got it. He was a bargaining chip, meant to keep the Jotuns in line, destined to be put on the throne of that dying land. No, he wouldn’t do it.

“But those plans no longer matter.”

That was a slap in the face. It wasn’t as though he would have been willing to do it to begin with, but to practically hear that he no longer served a purpose…that everything he had gone through in his life was for nothing…the pain tore through him, feeding on his anger.

“So I am no more than another stolen relic, locked up here until you might have use of me.”

“Why do you twist my words?” Odin asked, but Loki wouldn’t let him do that. He wasn’t twisting his words. Odin had to know how he would react if he were to ever learn the truth. For as long as he could remember, the story about the battle with the Frost Giants had been told over and over again. As children, they had called the giants monsters.

“You could have told me what I was from the beginning, why didn’t you?”

“You’re my son. I wanted only to protect you from the truth.”

That sobered him up a little bit. Odin sounded sincere and even looked sorry. It didn’t change anything. It didn’t take away the hurt or the humiliation.

“What? Because I am the monster parents tell their children about at night?”

“No, no.” Odin denied.

“You know, it all makes sense now! Why you favored Thor all these years! Because no matter how much you claim to love me, you could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the throne of Asgard!”

He was shouting now, climbing the stairs to be more on the same ground as Odin. There was nothing the man could say or do to redeem him from what he just revealed. Odin said nothing to his accusations, and that only fueled Loki’s rage further. His whole body shook trying to repress it as he walked passed Odin.

“Loki.” The man called after him. “We are not finished.”

“No, but I’m not going to say here when you will not answer me. You lied to me, my whole life. Kept my true parentage a secret. I need to be alone.” His words came out far more rational than he would have thought in this situation. He didn’t turn around, didn’t stop.

“Loki. Come back.” Odin ordered, but Loki ignored him, stepping out of the vault before Odin could say another word. He started to walk down the hall, when he ran directly into someone. Large hands steadied him as he looked up and saw curiosity and anger tinted blue.

It was Thor, the last person Loki thought he would see in the hall. From the expression on his face, the downward sweep of his eyes, Loki knew Thor had heard at least some of the exchange between Odin and him.

“How much did you overhear?”

“I heard enough.” Thor responded, not really answering the question.

“Don’t play dumb with me Thor. I am in a foul mood.”

Thor laughed humorlessly, his eyes steeling over. “As if you could beat me in a fight. After all you’re a…”

“Don’t say it. Don’t you dare say it!” Loki hissed between his teeth.

“Come now, brother. I was only joking.” Thor sounded slightly amused at Loki’s anger. This was the last thing he needed right now.

“We’re not brothers. We never were and this is the last time you will mock me.” Loki seethed, turning to go.

“Or what?” It was a taunt, Thor’s reckless arrogance showing through. The older man had always treated Loki as if he was beneath him. Now that he knew the truth, that Loki was the monster from their children’s tales, Thor probably didn’t even consider them anywhere close to being equals. It was only a matter of time before the entire palace and the people would know what he was. Thor would, no doubt, make sure of it. Loki took a few deep breaths, calming his nerves before he replied.

“There are an endless number of ways to make you suffer. I refrained from using them before because for all I knew, you were my brother. Now that that’s changed, I see no reason to hold back anymore.”

Thor’s eyes narrowed as he dropped Mjolnir into his hand and he opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by the doors of the vault swinging open and Odin standing there. The man looked more exhausted now than he had when Loki was arguing with him. From his expression, Loki knew that Odin had heard the entire confrontation between him and Thor and decided to intervene before they were taking shots at each other.

“Stop this instant.” He ordered glancing between his two sons. “I will not have you fighting in the palace halls. I want you both to follow me, now. There’s something I would like to discuss with you both.”

“And if we refuse?” Thor asked, clearly not impressed with his father at the moment. Loki had no doubt Thor was still angry about the argument that occurred in the observatory.

“Whether by your wills or by force, you will come with me. You both deliberately disobeyed me and I have decided on what your punishment will be.”

Neither Thor nor Loki liked their options. They had no choice to obey as they followed their father out to where three horses were waiting for them. The ride out to the observatory felt shorter than normal, though it was due to the two men not looking forward to whatever punishment the king had planned for them.

Heimdall stood at his post, not bothering to move as Odin moved swiftly past him followed by the younger two. With his all-seeing eyes, the chances he knew what Odin was planning was very good.

“Why have you brought us here?” Thor demanded of Odin.

“I have thought long and hard of your actions over the past few days and I have come to the conclusion that you are both unworthy.”

“Unworthy?” Loki asked.

“Of what?” Thor asked for clarification. Odin stood above them, looking at his oldest son, letting the anger that had filled him up over the last two days spill over. It was time for both of his sons to learn a hard lesson, as much as it pained him. This was the only way they would understand.

“Thor Odinson, you have betrayed the express command of your king. Through your arrogance and stupidity, you’ve opened these peaceful realms and innocent lives to the horror and desolation of war!”

Odin placed his staff into the mechanism of the observatory. Thor looked away from his father as he approached. He felt a little bit like a small child again, being scolded for a minor offense. What his father accused him of wasn’t minor, but it was true.

“You are unworthy of these realms! You’re unworthy of your title! You’re unworthy…” Odin ripped the crest off of his breastplate, yanked off his cape causing Thor to step away from him a bit. “…of the loved ones you have betrayed.”

Odin looked into Thor’s eyes and saw that the weight of his words had settled in. It wasn’t enough, he had to complete this. Stepping back up to the platform, he turned back to finish the spell he was casting.

“I now take from you your power! In the name of my father and his father before…” Thor looked down to see his armor strip off both arms and fall away. “…I, Odin Allfather, cast you out!”

With a surge of power, Thor’s armor blasted off of him and he fell back through the portal. Loki looked up at his father, afraid of what was coming for him. Odin turned to face his younger son, knowing what he had to do. His anger was mostly directed at Thor, though he was disappointed in Loki.

“Loki. It is true that you are the son of Laufey, however, I do think of you as my own. Right now, you are confused and you reject who and what you are. It is a destructive path that you are going down, a path I do not wish for you. You will not hear me now, I doubt that you ever will. Foolish thoughts and jealousy warp your thoughts and force you to act rashly in your anger and your grief.”

Loki was breathing hard as Odin raised his free hand to swipe at the air. Loki felt the strange tingle on his body and looked down to see the pale skin give way to blue again.

“I take away the magic used to hide your true form. Until you learn to accept who you are and your place in the world, this magic will be bound within you.” Loki was shaking with his anger and his fear even as Odin raised Mjolnir once again, this time at Loki. “Take care of your brother in the meantime.”

“He’s not my brother.” Loki bit out through clenched teeth. It was the last thing he said before the energy pushed him back through the portal as well. He would not leave his sons helpless on a foreign realm alone.

He brought Mjolnir close to his face, murmuring the final spell he had to cast. “Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.”

With a firm toss, he sent the hammer after his sons. They would have to work together for a solution in order to return home. Thor would have to humble himself and prove his worth. Loki would have to accept who he truly was and not rely on his heritage or appearance. Both were difficult lessons, but Odin was confident that his sons would learn them in time. How much time, depended on them and their ability to work together. They brought out the best and the worst in each other.

As the portal slowed down to close, Odin felt the remainder of his strength dwindle. He waited too long to seek sleep and had used too much of his power. Heimdall was quick to rush to his side, propping the king up as his eyes closed. With his last conscious thought, he wished his sons good fortune and luck before giving in to the darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually enjoyed working on this chapter. From the start, I knew this what how the events were going to go, it was just a matter of the details. The only thing I worried about was Thor being a little over the top when he found out about Loki, but I knew he would have still been very arrogant and after a battle with the Frost Giants, he would have considered them a little beneath him. My beta loved it, so I decided to leave it as it was. I hope you all enjoy it. I'm still working on the next chapter, but I should have it done by next week, so I will have something for you guys next week.
> 
> On another note, a friend of mine in my NaNoWriMo region created a cover for this story. It's amazing, so I have to share. I don't know if she'll link it up herself, but it was so awesome, I had to share it! The link is: http://ricechex.tumblr.com/post/123895491365
> 
> Please leave comments and kudos! I enjoy reading them and they encourage me to keep going. Also feel free to come find me on my social media pages listed below!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram/Twitter:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (Still working on the next chapter! I'll get it out at some point.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 7 Posted - 07/06/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	49. Worlds Apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Thor find themselves on a new realm and run into problems and must face the repercussions of their actions.

The brothers tumbled through the spiral of light they’d been forced through. They couldn’t steady their bodies as they moved at a rapid pace, their destination unknown. In the end, Thor slammed into something hard and solid and Loki slammed into Thor. Both were tossed away from the object, spinning back to the imprint the portal left on every land. Thor landed just outside the circle while Loki flew past it gasping as he landed on his back.

The both heard the sound of voices, the slamming of doors, and the pattering of feet on the ground. Loki dug his fingers into the warm sand, trying to get up, but every part of his body ached in some way. He groaned, trying again to get to his feet when a shadow fell across him and he froze. Glancing up, he saw an older man standing above him, a mortal man. At least now he knew where he’d been banished to.

“Jane, you might want to see this.” The man called to one of the women. The one hovering over Thor looked up at the call, turning the lamps she held in her hand to illuminate him. He only got a small glimpse of her expression as he raised a hand to shield his eyes from the bright light. She looked like she was a bit in shock at the sight of him. For as much as it annoyed him, he couldn’t blame her and he was going to turn the anger that came with the annoyance at the one person who started all of this.

When the light changed direction, he lowered his hand to glare at the creature. She glanced back and forth between looking at Thor and gaping at him.

“Oh, my God!” She got out. His eyes narrowed and he made a move to back away in case these creatures were hostile. In normal circumstances he could fight them with little trouble, but with the way his body was protesting, he wanted to heal before having to deal with a physical confrontation.

His focused moved from the mortals to the man rolling on the ground. Thor was getting his bearings back before Loki could. He had to be coherent by now, and Loki had a few choice words for the man. He was so furious at this point over the whole situation that he didn’t bother to mask it as blue glanced into red.

“This is all your fault.” He forced out between his clenched teeth fighting the grimace as he manage to at least sit up. It was a step in the right direction.

Thor took a deep breath and rolled over, glancing up at the woman hovering carefully over him. He heard Loki’s words and chose to ignore him. The other younger woman made a sound and he glanced at her.

“Does he need CPR? Because I totally know CPR?”

Thor looked back at the other woman. She was illuminated by blue light, her eyes kind and filled with wonder and curiosity. He tried to pull himself up, but his body ached and flopped back down on the ground.

“Where did they come from?” The woman asked glancing around. The younger woman continued to stare, while the man shrugged as his eyes went back to a very blue Loki.

The man groaned, struggling to get to his feet. He growled low, pushing away any hand attempting to reach out to him. He was the Prince of Asgard, he needed no help.

“You all right?” The younger woman asked, but Thor didn’t answer her. Mjolnir was missing, his father had taken it. No, the hammer answered to him. It would hear his call.

“Hammer?” He shouted, but when he didn’t see it or feel its presence he called again. “Hammer?”

Loki watched as Thor paced, managing to find the strength to pull himself up to his feet. To let Thor stand above him was degrading and embarrassing now. He held a hand over his midsection as those were the muscles protesting his movement the most. It was obvious that Thor was getting more and more agitated by the second.

“Yeah, we can tell you’re hammered. It’s pretty obvious.” The girl with the garment on her head said to Thor. Her tone suggested that she was amused by what she was witnessing.

“Oh, my God. Erik, look at this!” The other woman shouted, the light source in her hand pointing down to the imprint in the sand. Loki watched curiously as she dropped to her knees, the older man leaning down, though he seemed more concerned with them than he was his companion. “We have to move quickly before this all changes.”

Thor continued to pace. The man, Erik, following him with light. As Thor stumbled a bit, the man frowned. “Jane, we have to take them to the hospital.”

“Father!” Thor shouted, his face turned up towards the sky above.

The woman, Jane, glanced at him for a moment. “He’s fine, look at him.”

“It’s not him I’m so worried about.” Erik muttered, causing Loki to glare at him. Erik appeared to turn away, but it was obvious that the mortal was still paying attention to him.

“Heimdall! I know you can hear me! Open the Bifrost!” Thor demanded.

“Thor, that’s enough.” Loki finally spoke. “It’s no use. The gateway will not be opened for us.”

Thor growled at him, looking up to see if there was any change in the sky. The humans were staring at them again.

“Hospital. You go, I’ll stay.” Jane suggested to Erik. He gave her a look that screamed there was no way he was going alone with these two.

It was then that Thor turned and approached them. He towered over them as he made his demands. “You. What realm is this? Alfheim? Nornheim?”

“New Mexico!” The other woman said, holding up a small device. It emitted a red line, a targeting line.

“Midgard.” Loki hissed. “We’re on Midgard.”

Thor glanced back at the Jotun briefly before looking back to the woman with the weapon. Taking a step towards her he felt his emotions surge once more. No one threatened him and lived. “You dare threaten me, Thor, with so puny a weapon?”

He barely got the words out when the woman shot at Thor. Prongs discharged and Loki watched with a bit of fascination as the prongs struck Thor. The large man seized up, shaking a bit before dropping back down to the ground unconscious. The other humans turned to look at the woman, shock clearly evident on their faces.

“What? He was freaking me out!” The woman said in way of explanation.

Loki looked between the four of them when laughter bubbled forth from deep inside of him. It felt so good to see Thor felled by a simple weapon wielded by a woman. Any woman other than Sif would be a great insult. It was a bit ironic. Thor was known as the God of Thunder, even to the Aesir, but he had been shot down by a device that appeared to send a similar energy through his body, though it wasn’t strong enough to be lethal. Oh how the man would be so confused and enraged when he woke up again.

“She just dropped your friend and you’re laughing.” Jane’s tone was a combination of put out and confused.

“He’s not my friend. And after the day he has put me through, that was a quite an impressive display.”

Loki was lying about being impressed, but it was worth being pleasant to these humans. They had entertained him with the sight of watching Thor squirm.

“We really need to get him to the hospital. Especially now, that he’s been knocked out.” Erik turned to look at Loki. “We should get him to the van.”

“I am in no condition to help you carry that fool.” Even if he was, he wasn’t so sure that he would. He was too angry and nothing in this world would change Thor’s opinion of him now that Thor knew the truth about him. He was also going to have to come up with a plausible explanation for his appearance.

He hung back, watching as the man worked to lift Thor’s weight. The man had to drag the Asgardian to their metal vehicle and struggled to get Thor in the back. The younger girl looked apologetic as she stood out of the man’s way.

“Next time you decide to taser somebody, make sure he’s already in the car, okay?” Erik told the younger girl before shouted at the other one. “Jane! Come on!”

He hefted the man up and slid him into the back. Loki turned to go. He needed to find a safe place to seek shelter for the night. Thor was in the hands of these people. He would be fine with these people.

Jane was getting to her feet and turned to head to the van when she stopped abruptly. Instead of heading towards her companions, she came up to him.

“Hey you, you’re hurt too. You should come with us to be checked out by a doctor.”

“I have no need to see one of your healers. I just need a few days of rest and I’ll be fine.”

“But do you have a place to stay tonight?”

She had him with that. He had just gotten to this world and he needed a secure place to stay. He had to tread lightly on this. “And why would you think that?”

“You appeared out of nowhere and you’re not exactly normal looking. Tell you what, if you’re willing to answer some questions about what you saw during the storm, I have a bed for you tonight and breakfast for you in the morning. That way you don’t have to explain…” She paused, hesitating before making a brief gesture towards his skin. “…all of this.”

The offer was tempting. He did need a place to rest and think things through. He needed a plan, a way to hide this hideous form….and he needed to exact some sort of revenge on Thor for what he had set in motion and for insulting him.

“Very well. I will come with you, but only for the night. I will answer your questions in the morning, once I’ve gotten some rest.”

She nodded. “That sounds fair. Come on. Let’s get into the car.”

Loki followed her, trying his best not to grimace at the pain. While he had no real intention of answering this woman’s questions, he would use her. At least if he had the night, he could clear his head and come up with a plan. Slowly, he climbed in behind her, noticing that Thor was laying on the floor of the vehicle and the younger woman was sitting up front with the man.

They drove into the local town and directly to the hospital. Jane ran in to get some help and a handful of men came out to load Thor on a stretcher and take him into the building. Loki lay down across the seats in the back while the humans went in to see what they could do for the larger man. Loki closed his eyes, suddenly exhausted. All he wanted to do was sleep and forget what had happened over the last several hours. It wouldn’t make his problems go away, though maybe it would give him a clearer head and the strength to be able to think about it and come up with a solution.

~~~~~

“Name?” The nurse behind the reception desk asked. Jane was distracted for a moment as she watched the blond man being wheeled through the doors.

“Uh, he said it was Thor?” At least that’s what she thought the blue skinned man had said. The blond had said his name too, just before Darcy had tased him, but she had been so engrossed in the science and what she was seeing that she wasn’t paying any attention.

“T-H-O-R.” The nurse spoke as she typed the info on the computer. “And your relationship to him?”

“I’ve never met him before.”

“Until she hit him with a car.” Darcy tacked on.

“I grazed him, but she tasered him.”

“Yes, I did.” The younger woman sounded proud of her accomplishment. After all, she had taken out a giant, one who had been threatening her.

The nurse asked them a few more questions and that’s when they heard the commotion down the hall. Erik was quick to pull the women into a waiting room as the staff started running.

“What’s going on?” Darcy asked, standing on her toes trying to see past Jane.

“I don’t know.”

“Whatever it is, it’s not good. We did what we needed to do and got the man to the hospital. We need to go.” Erik said, trying to look for the nearest exit.

“Do we have to?” Darcy looked back at Erik, looking slightly disappointed.

“Yes, we have to go now. I have a bad feeling about this.”

~~~~~

Thor woke up in a strange room with a bright light over his head. To one side were some strange black and blue images. To the other a man dressed in blue with an instrument hanging from his neck was looking down at his side. When he noticed Thor was awake, he smiled.

“Hi!” The man greeted and Thor recoiled a bit. The man was touching his arm, a needle in his hand. The man was doing something to him and Thor didn’t like it. “Just taking a little blood.”

“How dare you attack the son of Odin?” Thor said, yanking his hand away and sitting up. The man tried to grab him and push him back down, but Thor just yanked away again.

“I need some help!” The strange man called out. Two other men in matching uniforms and a woman in a white jacket came into the room. Thor knocked two out of the way and shoved the third man back.

“Call security!” The woman yelled in time to be pushed to the floor. Thor was on his feet noticing that another person in the corner had something pressed to his ear and was shouting. “Security to ER 3, stat!”

Thor was a little distracted as a large man charged him. He gripped him, using the momentum of running against him and shoving him into a metal cabinet. One of the men recovered and came up to grab him from behind.

Thor slammed into the man with the phone pressed up against his ear, knocking him to the floor. He shoved the man who had charged him, making his way towards the closest exit. A pair of men in different uniforms came through the door, coming towards him. Several of the other men recovered and they grabbed at the violent man, pulling him down, bracing his limbs, and finally slamming him against the door.

“You’re no match for the Mighty…”

He felt the needle enter his body. The effects were immediate as his head hit the door, face smushed against the glass. He slumped in the arms of his captors as he slowly slid down the floor. His vision blurred a bit and just like that, he was out once more.

~~~~~

Loki was in a foul mood by the time the humans got to the building they were living in. Apparently something had happened at the hospital that spooked the man and the older woman. He suspected Thor had something to do with the commotion they were discussing, but for all he knew the man was still unconscious. The younger woman sat in the back with him this time and she initially seemed upset at their abrupt departure, but that wasn’t what was bothering Loki. It was the fact that she just kept staring at him.

“Are you like one of those blue skinned people that I read about once?”

Loki glared at her when she asked a question. The last thing he wanted to be asked about was the color of his skin, not when he didn’t understand anything about himself, not anymore.

“Darcy, don’t pester him.” Jane said from the driver seat.

“What? You can’t tell me that you’re not curious too?” She asked back.

Jane hesitated. “That doesn’t matter. He’s injured and I told him he could stay with us tonight. We can ask him questions in the morning.”

At least the older woman was keeping to their deal. It was probably the second best thing that had happened to him all night. The girl, Darcy, looked a little bit upset, but she shut her mouth and sulked.

Their home wasn’t exactly what he had suspected. The building was very open. A small, full kitchen with a simple four seater table was off to the side. The main room was open, with floor to ceiling windows. The doors had to be pushed, sliding to the side. There wasn’t any privacy in the main room due to all the exposure. Darcy made her way towards a small room off to the side while Jane and Erik argued in the corner.

“I can’t agree with him staying the night, Jane. We don’t know anything about him. His companion was violent, who’s to say he’s not capable of the same thing.”

“He saw something in that storm. I know he can give me some answers. It’s obvious he and his friend aren’t from around here. I promised him a place to sleep and some breakfast for one day. Besides, you’re here. We’ll be fine.”

Loki tuned them out after that. He wasn’t sure he wanted to stay after looking about the home. It was small and his skin was crawling at the exposure. Loki wanted to hide. He’d had enough being in this foreign skin. His eyes swept the room, noticing that there was a small trailer out back. It seemed that the fight was over as the woman approached him, awkwardly.

“The bathroom is through here if you want to clean up. I’ve got some more comfortable clothes that I can give you to sleep in for the night. Towels are already inside. Just turn the nozzle around until you get the right temperature. Hot water doesn’t last very long.”

She stepped away after her warning, moving a few items on the table in front of her. Loki hesitated for a moment. A small part of him wanted to know why she was helping him, but then he decided he really didn’t need to know. Humans were such weak and fragile creatures. They were at the bottom of the species of the nine realms. Fear ruled them far more than anything else. While she was still allowing him to stay for the night, he wasn’t going to do something or say something to make his situation worse. Not when he didn’t know what he was going to do.

Loki stepped into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Instantly, he realized his mistake. It was the first time he’d gotten a look at what he actually looked like. The skin was a dark blue, a shade he could never remember seeing before. His eyes were a deep, vibrant red…so different from the dark piercing green. Lines were etched into his skin, looking like lines carved into my skin.

He reached up to touch the lines, tracing them with his fingers. Most of his skin felt smooth to the touch, but the lines gave the skin a bit of texture to it. Immediately, he noticed that the lines ran down under his clothes and curiosity got the best of him as he slipped off his tunic to see how far down they went.

The lines covered his chest and his side and his back. He wondered if the lines were random, or if they actually had a purpose. It would be nice to know if they meant something, had a significance other than decoration for his skin. At this point, he would never know.

The door swung open without warning, the younger woman stood there with something grey and blue in her hands.

“Whoa, sorry there, blue guy. Jane said you were probably in the shower, so I was just gonna leave these on the counter.” Her eyes swept over him carefully and Loki wanted to growl at her. The last think he wanted was her to scrutinize and judge him. He suddenly wished he had left his tunic on, though he was simultaneously grateful that he wasn’t fully naked. “You know, besides the whole weird colored skin thing, you’re kinda hot.”

“What?” Loki managed to choke out, now confused. These humans had a strange way of saying things, but from her tone and the way she was looking at him, whatever she was referring to sounded appealing in a way.

“You’re hot, you know, good looking, sexy, that sort of thing.” When he just continued to stare at her. “Right, too much for just meeting you like two hours ago and I’m way too tired for this. Here’s the clothes Jane pulled out for you. She’s still up and will show you where you’re gonna be sleeping tonight. I’m going to bed now and I’ll see you in the morning, big guy.”

The girl spun on her heels and started to walk out. He didn’t know what possessed him to say anything at all to her, but then again, his thoughts and actions didn’t always make any sense. And after all, she had been the one to take down Thor. That in itself warranted a proper introduction.

“Loki.”

She stopped, turning back to look at him. “Huh?”

“My name is Loki.” He repeated firmly, though she should have heard him the first time. “You can stop calling me all those…”

“Nicknames?” She supplied.

“Yes. I’d much rather you call me by name than whatever you might come up with.”

“Only if you call me Darcy.” She was grinning at him. It was a little disturbing.

“Fine.”

“All right, night, Loki. I’ll see you in the morning.”

She shut the door behind her and Loki was left alone once more. He took a deep breath, figuring out the mechanism on the shower. This was going to be a long, strange night.

~~~~~

The room was bathed in a soft glow. The large bed surrounded by energy. Frigga sat dutifully by her husband’s side. She was very unhappy about everything that had happened, though she hid her grief well. Both of her sons had been banished to a mortal realm and her husband was now lost in the Odin sleep. It had happened so abruptly that Heimdall had to leave his post in order to bring the King back to the palace.

Besides the gatekeeper, she was the only one to know of the events that had happened from start to finish. Though she was a woman of great power and sorcery, she lacked the power to help her husband or to bring her sons home. Even now, as acting ruler of Asgard, she couldn’t bring her babies home. Heimdall had been given strict instructions by Odin not to bring them back until they had regained their powers. To reduce Thor to that of a mortal and to take away the magic that held the secret of Loki’s skin…it was too cruel, but there was nothing she could do.

She had always wanted to tell Loki the truth of his parentage and lineage, but Odin had forbidden it. Frigga knew better than most what her husband’s reasoning for bringing a child of Jotunheim back with him from the war. Thor had been so small and wouldn’t remember Loki being brought back, wrapped in Odin’s cape, the color of his skin already hidden away behind powerful magic. The moment the infant was placed in her arms, she knew she loved him.

Loki had always been different. Small from what they knew of the giants and with the potential to use powerful magic. When Loki had presented the signs, Frigga had furiously fought to be allowed to teach him the art on top of Loki’s training as a warrior. After weeks of arguing, Odin had finally agreed and Loki had been allowed to learn, and he excelled at it.

It hurt her that the other warriors and the people didn’t respect Loki’s abilities. He was as capable of fighting as any other warrior in the armies of Asgard, but Loki’s penchant to be mischievous, using his magic to trick and sometimes harm others, caused deep mistrust from those who knew him. Frigga alone knew her younger son best, and she knew he had been hurting.

She doubted Odin suspected, but she was sure Loki was the one to entice the Frost Giants into the vault on the day of the coronation. In the weeks leading up to the event, Loki had been agitated and frustrated. He’d even been a bit sad and she had seen his face the day of the event. There was a nervousness there that she wasn’t used to seeing in Loki. When she heard what had happened, she just knew that Loki was at fault.

In the end, she could not blame him for what he had done. She wished he would have come to her, talked with her about his fears and misgivings. Loki was no longer a child though, and had not come to her for some time. Still, she promised him, often reminding him, that she would always be there to listen to him. Frigga wondered if Loki would have come to talk to her, at least confront her about knowing the truth now that he’d been told everything.

She was startled at the brief announcement of arrival. Lady Sif and the other warrior friends of Thor entered into the room. All four stopped, kneeling down in front of their King and Queen with reverence. Frigga knew that Thor had made excellent choices in his friends, picking out the finest, most loyal, and trustworthy men and woman in this realm to battle at his side.

“My Queen, you summoned us?” It was Fandral that spoke.

“Yes. I believe out of all the warriors serving in the palace, the four of you are the ones that I can place my trust in.”

She proceeded to tell them all that had happened, admitting to them the truth about Loki, the banishment, and Odin’s condition.

“How long with the Allfather be like this?” Sif asked cautiously.

“I cannot say. It happened so suddenly. We were not prepared this time. All the stress of a possible war with Jotunheim and the energy it took to banish Thor and Loki to Midgard took its toll.” Frigga squeezed Odin’s hand. “I told you all of this in confidence. I’m concerned with the state of things as they are. As Queen and acting ruler, I do have some authority, but not over everything. Only Odin and Thor are capable of such things.”

“You brought us here because you are concerned about something.” Hogun spoke, understanding why she had summoned them there from her tone.

She nodded glancing down at her husband. “For all of this to happen right now, I fear that the events on Jotunheim have sent events into motion that I am incapable of seeing or stopping. With Odin deep in sleep and Thor gone, there is little I can do should something happen.”

“Couldn’t you just bring Thor and Loki back?” Vostagg asked, casually.

“You want to bring a Jotun back into Asgard?” Fandral sounded a bit miffed and it caused Frigga to stand.

“Regardless of what race Loki is, he is still a crown prince of Asgard and my son. You would all do well to remember that and treat him with respect in my presence.” She took a deep breath, allowing the calm and soothing tone to return. “Odin gave Heimdall strict orders to not allow their return until they have achieved their goal. He wants them to learn a lesson that will stick with them for the rest of their lives, and although I do not fully agree with it, I lack the power to retrieve them. In their absence, I am relying on you to help me guard and protect this realm, should the worst happen. Can you all put aside your differences and your prejudices for the good of the realm and help me to achieve what I cannot do alone?”

One by one the warriors nodded. Slowly, Frigga sat down relief washing over her. “Thank you, all of you.”

“It is an honor, my Queen.” Fandral bowed down to her.

The warriors started to talk, to discuss their options. Frigga listened to them as they decided on plans and plotted out an escape route should they need to evacuate Odin from the palace. She knew she had chosen the right people to place her trust in. She covered Odin’s hand with hers, squeezing it lightly in reassurance. Now she could only hope that both Loki and Thor had the strength to endure this trial and return to their home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost forgot to post this tonight. I was so busy during the day that I didn't have a chance to edit this before now. This chapter gave me a little bit of trouble and the next one is too, but I think I figured out where I want to take that one, so it should be done and up next Sunday. I'm also hoping to write another chapter of Before We Go this week, so we'll see if I can get it done.
> 
> So, I've decided that Darcy and Loki would be really good friends after all this is done and over with. I'm going to enjoy working on that. Next week we'll get to more drama of our Asgardian brothers on Midgard and we should get a look at what our S.H.I.E.L.D. team is up to. Hope you guys enjoy this one and I'll see you next Sunday!
> 
> Please leave comments and kudos! I enjoy reading them and they encourage me to keep going. Also feel free to come find me on my social media pages listed below!
> 
> Cover for this story by the amazing RiceChex: http://ricechex.tumblr.com/post/123895491365
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram/Twitter:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> (Still working on the next chapter! I'll get it out at some point.)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 7 Posted - 07/06/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165


	50. Complications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Thor run into separate complications. Meanwhile, Jane and crew make a discovery, leading them to want to find answers.

Loki didn’t get much sleep that night. Once he had cleaned up and changed into the strange clothing that had been provided for him, Jane had led him out to a small trailer in the back. She set up a sleeping area for him before walking back out, telling him she was sleeping on the roof of the building if he needed anything. He doubted that he would need anything else from her. After all, he would be gone in a matter of hours.

He sat down on the bed taking a deep breath. His body still ached, but he was healing fairly quickly so by the time he was planning on taking off, he would be fine. The real problem was his inability to hide his strange skin. The mortals had similar skin tones to Asgardians, so Loki was sure to stick out with his blue skin.

Even though he had come to terms with it a bit in the bathroom, it was still startling. He could see his features behind the blue skin and red eyes, but it still wasn’t him. He missed his pale skin and green eyes. He didn’t want the constant visible reminder that he was truly a Jotun hidden behind magic all these years. It brought back the painful memories…and the emotions that went along with it.

Loki called his magic up from his core, testing to see what he was capable of. He knew he wasn’t powerful enough to replicate what Odin had done. That spell was powerful and had some permanence to it, otherwise Loki would have known the truth a lot sooner. He could build an illusion to hide behind for the moment and try to figure out a more permanent fix.

Just as his magic flared, he felt it. A sharp pain shot through his body. It was so painful that he let go of his magic, watching as the illusion he had tried to form faded away, leaving him exactly where he was before he had tried. Silently he cursed Odin and Thor for causing all of this before trying again. After the third attempt, all three ending with the same result, he had to resign himself to the truth. It was of no use. Odin had bound his magic tightly in this aspect and there was no getting around it. He wasn’t going to be able to use his magic to conceal what he truly was.

Anger surged in him and he lay back on the lumpy cushion that made up the bed and took a deep breath. If Thor hadn’t gone into Jotunheim, this would have never happened. Loki would have been blissfully ignorant of what he was, probably in the palace sleeping comfortably in his own bed or maybe even having a late night talk with his mother.

That jolted him a bit. Frigga was not really his mother after all, but then again, it was the one thing he couldn’t deny. Thor and Odin he could overlook, seeing as they were so very different and the two men had distanced their relationship a bit. Frigga, on the other hand, she was the one who had nurtured his magic, remained close to him and encouraged him to move forward. Even if they were not blood related, Loki could not deny that she was his mother. His heart felt heavy with the thought of anything otherwise.

Pushing those thoughts aside, he had to think about his viable options. He couldn’t conceal himself, which left him vulnerable. With the unusual shade of both skin and eyes, he was bound to get quite a bit of attention. At least from what he saw from the town, it was small and remote enough that he might be able to get away with his peculiar look for a little while. He had time to figure out some other way to hide his skin.

The bigger problem was the fact that he was banished, as was Thor. The Allfather sent them here for a purpose, to learn the lessons he had charged them with. Then and only then would they be permitted to return to Asgard. Loki wasn’t sure he actually wanted to return to the realm, but he would do anything to look normal again. If that meant doing whatever he had to in order to return to Asgard, he was just going to have to do it, and consequences be damned.

He wasn’t going to stick around and wait for Thor. The man would just ignore whatever he had to say anyway and Loki wasn’t about to put up with being looked down upon. Jotun or not, he had his pride still very much intact. Though the humans had been very fair and hospitable, he couldn’t bring himself to trust them either, which meant he was just going to have to strike out on his own closer to dawn.

For the hours that he waited, he dozed a little, though he was extremely on edge to get any real sleep. When he found himself more or less aware, he would meditate or try and run scenarios through his head. After a little bit though, the fatigue creeped up on him and he fell asleep on the uncomfortable mattress.

When he woke again, several hours later, he cursed. The sun was rising higher and higher in the sky and he needed to leave before the woman came to ask her questions. He had no intention of giving away the secrets of Asgard or the Bifrost to a human who could barely comprehend the technology and power of the Nine Realms. Midgard was made ignorant for its protection, though Loki was very sure that was just another thing Odin told the people to make it so that the weak stayed under his rule.

Cursing again, he redressed in his Asgardian garb, grabbing the hooded cover that had been given to him in case he got cold. He would need it to hide his face from the public eye. Although he didn’t have a destination in mind, he knew he had to get away from the human, get away from the town. He couldn’t afford to be seen like this and exposed. That had been his concern all along, but it hadn’t been as much of a priority when he was exhausted and in pain.

As he stepped out of the trailer, he was hit by a wave of hot and humid air. Normally, the heat wouldn’t bother him in the least bit, but already he could feel his skin prickle with the discomfort at the heat. He took a deep breath, trying to push aside his discomfort to head into the main building on this property.

There wasn’t anyone in sight, so he slipped inside, glancing around to see if any of the humans were awake. He couldn’t hear anything and there still wasn’t anyone around, so he went deeper into the room, enjoying the cool air blowing through the vents. Loki glanced around for anything he might be able to use while he was on the run, but from the looks of the lab, he wasn’t sure what half of the objects were or what they did. It wasn’t worth it for him to take anything that would prove to be an unnecessary burden.

Looking around the room, he was beginning to question what he knew about humans. These three seemed fairly intelligent. These instruments had designs that rivaled old and outdated technology from Asgard. Loki expected the humans to be behind in their technology, but this was further than what he thought them capable of. Still, he couldn’t use any of this, so he was better setting off on his own without anything to start off with and gather as he went. He did manage to snag a bag and a little bit of food to start off his journey.

Stepping back out into the sun and the heat, he hesitated for a moment. It was really hot in the direct sunlight. The house had blocked the sun in the beginning, but now that the heat was directly on him, it stole his breath. His skin prickled and felt so dry it was painful and he was starting to feel a bit light headed.

He shouldn’t feel like this. His body had always been able to handle the sun and the heat of Asgard. Midgard wasn’t any different, at least it shouldn’t have been. He glanced down at his blue hand and it clicked. It made sense why Jotunheim was so cold and so dark. It also made sense now why they came to a northern part of this realm. They must not be able to handle any form of extreme heat and now that he was in a Jotun form, he couldn’t either.

His knees buckled underneath him and he slumped back against the building. This wasn’t good, not at all. The building was solid, but radiated heat it had collected from the sun. Loki took a deep breath crawling back towards the door he had just come out of, managing to make it before falling fully to the ground. He was not physically or mentally weak though, so he pulled himself along the floor until he was out of the direct sunlight.

He pulled himself up to lean against the wall, exhausted from such a menial task. He glared where the sunlight was still coming through the large windows. It wouldn’t take long until it was on him again and he would be in trouble again. Loki scowled at the thought. Now he had a new dilemma he had to figure out.

For now, he was just trying to catch his breath. He felt weak and lightheaded. This couldn’t be happening to him. At least he was strong enough not to pass out from being overwhelmed by what had just happened. It was even more embarrassing that when Darcy stepped out of her room, her first sight was Loki slumped against the wall glaring up at her.

“Rough morning?” When he said nothing to her and just continued to use up energy glaring at her, she sighed. “I’m just gonna go get Jane and Erik.”

The next few minutes were a bit of a blur and before he knew it, Erik helped to drag him into Darcy’s room and they worked to put him into her bed. Jane helped a little bit, removing his boots and grabbing an ice pack after Erik had mentioned how warm their guest felt.

“Okay, so what happened?” Jane asked as she chucked the boots in the corner as Darcy tucked in the man under the covers.

“The heat.” Loki said simply, turning away in embarrassment. He couldn’t believe he had to rely on these people’s help.

Erik gave the women a strange look before he led Jane out of the room. He didn’t like this one bit. It was too strange.

“Jane, this isn’t good. You said he would be leaving this morning after answering some questions. If he’s sick, then you’ll be stuck with him even longer.”

“I’m not giving up. I’m not going to turn my back on him if he’s sick either. I’m going to find out what he saw during the storm and there’s nothing you can say to change my mind, Erik.”

Erik picked up the bag that he had found. “I found a sweatshirt, food, and a few other things in here. I think he was trying to leave before we got up. If that’s true, he never had any intention of answering your questions. He used us, Jane. He used you.”

Jane took a deep breath, running a hand through her hair. “We don’t know if that’s true and right now he needs us. He now owes us for helping him twice and I don’t think he’s the kind of man who likes to own anyone any favors. I’ll try and ask him some questions after he’s gotten some rest and if he still refuses to answer him, then you can help me throw him out of the house…literally.”

~~~~~

“You don’t think this was just a magnetic storm, do you?” Erik asked as he and Jane went over her data from last night’s phenomenon.

“Look, the lensing around these edges is characteristic of an Einstein-Rosen Bridge.” Jane insisted, excitement filling her tone.

“A what?” Darcy asked from where she stood nearby. She was taking a break from blue man duty. The man had fallen asleep when everything had quieted down and both Jane and Erik had left. He’d woken up a bit later and had been upset over the fact that he had fallen asleep, saying he needed to go. Darcy had made it clear that she would tase him like she had his friend if he tried to get out of bed, so the man had finally given in and not argued back, though he made a point to deny his friendship with the man he’d been found with. He’d fallen back asleep a little bit ago, so Darcy replaced the cool wash cloth with an ice pack, prompting some better color in the man’s blue skin, before she came out to take it easy for an hour or so before running back out to check on him.

“I thought you were a science major.” Erik commented.

“Political science.” Darcy corrected. Just because she wasn’t studying in the same field as them, didn’t make her any less of a bad ass. Her major was just as important as theirs, though with Jane’s next comment it shot them all back down to reality again.

“She was the only applicant.”

Darcy was a little bit miffed at that, but that just means that she took a good opportunity. She needed the credits of this internship to graduate and if that meant helping Jane with whatever she needed, Darcy was there to do it in a heartbeat…provided it wasn’t too strange or dangerous.

Erik turned to face the younger girl. He was a professor, so he knew how to explain to her what they were talking about. The question entering his head was whether or not she would be interested in what he had to say.

“An Einstein-Rosen Bridge is a theoretical connection between two different points of space-time.”

When Darcy looked unimpressed, Jane walked over, placing her arm on the other woman’s shoulder. “It’s a worm hole.”

That got a thoughtful sound and Darcy walked over to a far table. Jane knew that sometimes, to make a subject more interesting for someone younger, you had to use words to make it sound interesting. At least Darcy understood what they were talking about now.

Jane grabbed something off to the side, holding it out to Erik. “Erik, look. What do you see?”

He glanced down at the picture. “Stars.”

“Yeah, but not our stars.” Jane nodded as she reached for another chart to pull it closer. “See, this is the star alignment for our quadrant this time of year, and unless Ursa Minor decided to take a day off, these are someone else’s constellations.”

“Hey!” Darcy called them out, gesturing for them to come to the board she was standing in front of. “Check this out.”

The two scientists walked over, catching a glimpse at the picture she was staring at. In the picture there was a distinct outline of two men who appeared to be falling. What they were falling through was that storm that popped up.

“No, it can’t be.” Erik marveled at what he was looking at, refusing to look away.

“So you guys were just talking about worm holes and stuff, and Loki, the guy in my bed with the blue skin, is definitely out of this world. You think he and his friend came through one.” Darcy verbally spoke what they were all thinking.

“I need to go talk to him.” Jane said, turning to head for the door, but Darcy moved, getting in front of her to stop her.

“Uh-uh, you’re not waking him up. I just got him to fall asleep again, and besides, his grouchiness is worse than yours.” When Jane gave her a look that screamed, ‘get out of my way,’ Darcy shook her head. “Nope. I’d rather deal with your wrath than his, so you’re gonna have to wait.”

The wheels in Jane’s head began to turn. She needed answers, and her inquisitive mind wasn’t about to wait for them. Then again, maybe she didn’t have to. Spinning on her heels, she began to march over to the van.

“Jane, where are you going?” Erik asked.

“I think I left something at the hospital.” She called back. “Darcy, stay here with Loki and don’t let him leave. Do whatever you can to stall him. Erik, come with me.”

~~~~~

Thor was slowly coming out of a drugged sleep. Whatever the men had injected into him was strong enough knock him out for a while. He did not know how long he had been in this realm, but he knew he needed to get home.

As he became more aware, he could feel that his arms and his legs were tied down. He pulled at the restraints, some kind of wide, thin black strap made of a strange material, but they would not budge. He pulled against them, rocking the headboard of the bed he was in, trying to remain calm. All it was doing was frustrating him.

“It’s not possible!” Thor muttered to himself, finding it hard to believe that this was enough to keep him restrained. All it got him was winded, and he slumped against the pillow trying to think about his options. Although he was a man who often acted first, he had his fair share of successful plans that had been plotted out in detail. His father had taught him the art of planning for a battle well, and after all the years spent fighting by Loki’s side, he tended to pick up a thing or two from the younger man.

Slowly he began to twist and wiggle his hand through one of the restraints. If he could only get one hand free, then he could unstrap himself. It didn’t look like it was a terribly complicated design, but it would take a little bit of time to get free, so he turned his thoughts back on his younger brother.

When he had heard the news, heard his father admit that Loki was a Frost Giant, the son of Laufey, he had been shocked. A few things had clicked into place for him about Loki’s behavior and upbringing. It was obvious from the argument that Loki had not known until that moment. Something on Jotunheim must have tipped him off to the fact that he may have not been what he seemed. Thor had to wonder what that might have been. He could always ask Loki, but after what Thor had said to him, the fact that he had ignored the man and belittled him the last time they had been in the same place, he doubted Loki would give him that information now….at least, not very easily.

The revelation brought about so many more questions than answers. It was more his curious nature, having never had an opportunity to sit and talk with a Frost Giant, but then again, why would he have? After hearing the stories about their defeat at Asgard’s hands, he never thought more about it than they were beasts in need of slaying. He’d sworn since he was a child that he would hunt these monsters down, slay them all.

He had been arrogant, believing Loki beneath him. It was why he had ignored him when they had been tossed into this realm. Now though, he was questioning if that had been a good idea. They were raised together and until he learned the truth, Loki was one of the people he felt like he could trust. Loki was brilliant, methodical, and cunning. He was no Asgardian warrior by the standards they set, but he was confident when it came to battle and trickery. Perhaps Thor had been a bit too hasty in his taunting and dismissal. It certainly left him with a lot to think about.

At that moment, his hand slipped out from the restraint and he grinned a bit in triumph. First he would get out of this place and then he would see if he could find Loki. Mother would never forgive him if he didn’t bring the man home with him, and besides, Loki was the kind of man who would cause a bit of havoc on these mortals for his own amusement if he was given the opportunity.

The shackles were easy to remove. Now he just needed to figure out how he was going to get out of here and then worry about the rest. He could be stealthy if he wanted to. With how quick the men had rushed him earlier, they had an efficient call to arms, and drugs powerful enough to subdue him. It wouldn’t do him any good to attack head on. No, he would save his strength for more worthy targets.

The building was not very busy at the moment, the hallway clear of anyone in a blue uniform. Thor had, at least expected a guard. They underestimated him and that would prove to be their biggest mistake. Silently, he slipped down the hall, maneuvering around a few hot spots where people were congregating. It didn’t take more than a few minutes for him to slip by unnoticed out of one of the entrances, only to be hit by a moving vehicle…

~~~~~

When Jane and Erik arrived at the hospital, they made a bee line for the room they knew Thor was in. As they walked down the hall, they could see the doctors, nurses, and hospital workers trying to repair the room where the commotion had occurred the last time they were there. An officer was inside taking the statement of a nurse who mentioned something about a man on drugs…or something to that effect.

Jane and Erik kept their heads down as they moved quickly, rounding the corner and sliding into the room Thor had been assigned. They were greeted with an empty bed, the restraints laying limp on the white sheets. Jane froze, eyes scanning the room in case he might be hiding, but it was no use. There wasn’t anywhere to hide in this place.

“Oh, my God.” Jane muttered rushing out of the room to look down the hall. They’d lost him. One of their most important pieces of evidence and they lost him. Erik came out and the two of them searched the nearby halls, but they didn’t see the big, blond man from last night. Resigning herself that the man was truly gone, she and Erik made their way out to the van.

“I just lost my most important piece of evidence. Typical.” She huffed as she gripped the steering wheel.

“So now what?”

“We find him.” Jane said without any hesitation at all.

“Did you see what he did in there? I’m not sure finding him is the best idea.”

“Well, our data can’t tell us what it was like to be inside that event, and he can.”

“We could go back and wait for Loki to wake up.”

“While the waiting drives me crazy. No thanks. We’re gonna find him.”

“So we’re gonna look all over New Mexico, right?”

“Exactly.” Jane said simply, knowing Erik thought she was acting a bit crazy right now. She messed with the gear shift, pulling it back to reverse before glancing back as she rolled out of the space. A split second before she hit, she saw the face of the blond man and in a combination of excitement and panic, she slammed on her brakes so hard they squeaked as she moved the gears back to park.

“What?” She shrieked as she climbed out of the van and approached the man. “I’m so sorry. I swear I’m not doing this on purpose.”

They helped him up, Thor only slightly dazed from the hit. He shook it off, letting these people help him to his feet. That was when he realized they were two of the people who had found him last night.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, curious as to their intent. After all, they were the ones to bring him here.

“We came to ask you some questions.” The woman answered directly. “This isn’t the place to do it though. Come with us. We can take you someplace safe and get you some clothes.”

Thor glanced down, realizing he was in some sort of pale blue sheet like garment that looked like a frumpy dress on his large frame. How he hadn’t noticed this earlier was beyond him. Agreeing to go with them since he needed a new set of clothes and he really didn’t want to get caught once the people here realized he was missing.

He had his own questions about this realm that he wanted to ask and he wanted to know what had happened to Loki. Hopefully the man hadn’t gotten angry and stormed off into the desolate lands alone. It would just mean more work for Thor if he had to go looking for the man. As Thor climbed into the back of the vehicle and sat down he wondered if his younger brother was truly all right, and if he wasn’t would he allow Thor to help him after everything he’d done.

~~~~~

The black SUVs drove down the desert roads, the occupant bouncing as they hit the small rocks and uneven ground on the dust and sand. Steve was glowering at the sight of all the people in the distance standing around the crater. It was a bigger mess than when they had arrived.

If Sitwell had done his job, they could have gotten to the site yesterday evening and secured it, turning away the spectators who were all trying to pull the 0-8-4 out of the crater. His skin crawled at the thought of anyone getting hurt over this because S.H.I.E.L.D. had been careless in protecting them.

He turned his gaze to glare at Sitwell. The man was driving the car, his eyes mostly on the road, but on occasion, he would glance back at Steve in the review mirror only to turn away when he realized the man was staring at him. Steve knew that the staring was rude, but he was angry and social conformity didn’t always apply in these situations.

“Stop burning your eyes on the back of Sitwell’s bald, shiny head, old man. You’ll go blind that way.” Tony called from the seat next to him, tablet in hand as he was going over a bunch of data.

Steve huffed, turning to look back out the window at the site as it got closer and closer. When they had met up with Sitwell, he hadn’t gathered any supplies, wanting to wait for Coulson and Steve for direction since HQ told him to wait. They had also told him when their team had left New York to come to New Mexico and he should have known what kind of response he would get for not being prepared. Steve always put the safety and security of others first, so the fact that they had to wait to move out this morning had him on edge.

He’d been so angry last night that he hadn’t gotten a lot of sleep and what sleep he had gotten was riddled with nightmares. Needless to say, it hadn’t really given him a good start to his day. Not even the coffee and hot breakfast Sitwell had waiting for him when he’d gone into the hotel’s conference room for debrief was enough to dissipate the animosity growing between the two men.

Now Coulson was looking back at him from the front seat, but Steve ignored him for the most part. He did catch when Coulson glanced over to Tony who just shrugged before diving back into whatever had popped up on the tablet.

“So how do you want to handle this?” Coulson asked, trying to get the man’s mind off of his animosity and give him something to focus on.

“It’s an 0-8-4, so my priority is getting these people out of here safely. Sitwell, I want you and your men on that. Coulson, you and I will go down and get an assessment on the object. Tony…”

“I’m just going to stay in the car and keep doing what I’m doing. The equipment we brought should be able to get a reading of that thing from wherever we park unless there’s some sort of interference.” When Steve glanced over at him with a questioning look, Tony smirked. “Do you really want me in the field where I can get hurt? It’d be different if you let me bring my suit.”

Steve’s eyes narrowed. He wasn’t about to hash this out again. Not when he had already made a fair point why Tony wasn’t to bring out the suit unless the mission got hostile. They were here covertly and the last thing they needed was an appearance by Iron Man to blow the fact that they were here.

“I do want you to stay away for your own safety, but I also know you like to bed the rules. If you need a closer reading, I can try and take it when Coulson and I go down to assess.” Steve told Tony before addressing the group as a whole. “We’ll be on coms, so if something happens, be ready for any course of action. If we can extract this object safely and take it someplace secure then that’s what we’ll do.”

When Steve got confirmation from all three men in the car, he turned his attention back to the site. A few of the men could see the trail of black SUVs coming and knew what that meant. They were already climbing into their trucks and moving away from the crater. It was like one big party for those who remained and Steve was starting to see why.

Though they had gotten a good look the afternoon before, they were getting a front row seat to some sort of competition. Men were lined up, rolling up their sleeves, trying to pull the hammer up from where it was embedded in rock. Either the hammer was too heavy, or it had been buried in the rock so bad, it wasn’t shaking loose.

Although it was dumb, Steve could see the appeal. There would be an appreciation for whoever could pull the hammer up. There was a pride in being the strongest person though that person may not want the expectations that would come up being the strongest. He doubted these men would know anything of that.

Still, they lived in a fairly desolate area, surrounded by Hydra run territories. The worse thing they might get out here was something Hydra was testing, but Hydra liked to blow things up in Australia, killing off their prisoners if they weren’t already dead. No, after the war had ended, they sought to take over the United States and saw it as prime land for research as well as a challenge to try and conquer it all. They wouldn’t destroy this place, though they may have built a research facility nearby that S.H.I.E.L.D. was unaware of.

Steve got distracted by a man stomping down into the crater, chains in hand. As Sitwell pulled up to the crater, he could see the man tying the chains around the hammer, climbing back up to attach it to the back of a truck. The driver revved the engine, kicking up dust as it moved forward pulling the chains tight. There was a sound of creaking metal and the bed of the truck ripped right off the frame, sliding down into the crater. Steve was quick to get out of the car, wanting to make sure that the driver was alright, but Coulson grabbed his arm just as the elderly driver poked his head out, looking back at the damage. He said something, causing the group of men to laugh at him as they all moved to unhook the chains from the hammer for the next person to have a go at it.

It took about a half hour to clear out the area of the civilians. They had to pack up and drive away, but once they heard about the possibility of the hammer being radioactive, they didn’t want to stick around. Sitwell and his men took names and addresses down of those who would volunteer them, letting the men go as they doubted that the hammer posed any sort of threat for them. If that changed, they could send alerts out to the neighboring towns about risks to the exposure of the item.

Steve and Coulson walked down into the crater, getting their first look at the foreign object. The head of it was very wide and rectangular with symbolism carved into the metal in an intricate design around the edge of it. The handle was wrapped in leather with the metal peeking out every inch or so. The base of the handle was exposed metal, but a leather wristlet hung down from the end. Steve glanced over at Coulson. He nodded in agreement, neither of them having seen anything like this before.

“This is a decent sized object.” Coulson commented. “Do you think Hydra is involved?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think we can say for certain until we’ve studied it, and even then I’m not so sure we’ll have an answer.”

“These markings, I think I’ve seen something similar to them before.”

Steve nodded. That at least had been a little recognizable. “When Howard Stark was studying the Tesseract for a way to counter it, we came across these symbols while in Norway. We didn’t have time to study them, since Hydra found out we were there and came for us, but I remember something similar carved into the wall of an old temple.”

“Shouldn’t that mean Hydra?”

Steve shook his head this time. “No, I think the symbols are older that Hydra. I doubt Schmidt even knows exactly what they mean. Once he went to power, he spent most of his time ruling or conquering. Why do you think I was caught so off guard when he and Zola showed up in Monacco?”

Coulson smirked. “I suppose the bad guys need a vacation every once in a while too.”

Steve almost choked at the thought, making a soft sound. He didn’t want to think about Schmidt being allowed a vacation. He didn’t want to think about Schmidt doing anything enjoyable or pleasant. It just made his stomach twist unpleasantly. He tried to focus again on the object in front of him as a distraction.

“If a truck couldn’t pull this thing out, I doubt any of us can. We’re going to have to study it from here. Did we get the materials to create a temporary base out here?”

“Yeah. I saw Sitwell personally load some of the stuff in one of the SUVs.”

“Let’s get everyone together and start building that base. I’m going to go talk to Tony and see what kind of readings he was able to get from the van.”

Coulson headed over to talk to Sitwell while Steve climbed out of the crater and towards the vehicle they had come in. Tony was sitting inside the vehicle, but his door was wide open as he tapped on the screen of his tablet. Glancing up and grinning, the man put a foot down on the sand like the little shit that he was.

“You always have to break the rules.” Steve muttered to himself before speaking a bit louder. “What do you got?”

Tony glanced over at him. “What? Not even a little argument? You’re losing your touch, Steve. I’m shocked.”

“Tony…not now.” Steve warned at the teasing.

“Okay, fine. So I’ve been looking over this data and I can’t make sense of any of it. I don’t think we have the right equipment to study any of this. And then there was that storm the night before last. The one Sitwell was talking about before we arrived. Some of the signatures from the storm are coming from the hammer.”

“What does that mean?”

“One, it means that the hammer was probably caught up or carried by the storm. If it’s as heavy as we think it is, I’d say carried is kinda impossible, but we don’t know anything about it so the rules here might be a bit bendy.” When Steve gave him a look that screamed impatient, he sighed. So much for the man being in a good mood at all today. “Two, we need to find better, more appropriate equipment to study this thing with. Thankfully for my awesome research skills and my ability to hack into the Nexus system, I’ve found a local astrophysicist in the area who has a permit to be studying the same phenomena that we are.”

“Who is it?” Steve asked, trying to get Tony to get to the point.

Tony turned his tablet around, revealing an open file with a picture of a woman with long straight brown hair, pale skin, and chocolate brown eyes. “Dr. Jane Foster.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this part of the story is really fighting me, so you guys got a bit of a filler chapter this week. I only have a paragraph written for next week's chapter, so I'm going to fight hard this week to push through my lack of motivation (I've had it bad all week long) and try to give you guys something a bit better next week, though it may be some more filler leading up to the action, though I do have an idea I'm playing with. We'll see if it pans out.
> 
> That being said, I still enjoyed the relationships that I'm setting up. Darcy and Loki are on their way to being friends, though they still have a long way to go. Tony and Steve's relationship will never change and my awesome beta and I are going to start calling our eccentric billionaire, Tony SNARK! Love those two. And there's always giving Sitwell a hard time. I never liked him even before I knew he was Hydra, so I'm definitely have some fun with that.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy reading. If you get a chance, go check out my Stucky one-shot, Do I Look Worried to You? (The link is below or go to my profile.) I worked really hard on that and I hope you all enjoy that too. I'm also updating Before We Go in a few minutes, so please go and check that out too.
> 
> Please leave comments and kudos! I need the cheer squad this week. Thank you guys and I will see you next Sunday!
> 
> Cover for this story by the amazing RiceChex: http://ricechex.tumblr.com/post/123895491365
> 
> Find me on Tumblr/Instagram/Twitter:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories and let me know what you think!
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> Side Stories that don't fit into All That's Left Is The Ghost of You or Before We Go  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829
> 
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 8 Posted - 07/26/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag an interview with Steve Rogers...and he gives her the story of the century. The story of how he became Captain America.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165
> 
> Do I Look Worried To You? (One Shot - 07/23/15)  
> Steve Rogers has been searching for his best friend for a long time, so when he gets that phone call, he can't resist going. What he finds, isn't what he expects.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/4402937


	51. A Bit of Cooperation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Thor meet up again, but things are far from okay between them. Jane tries to get some answers and has her first run in with S.H.I.E.L.D. Also, Tony and Steve don't think everything is at it seems with Dr. Foster's team when Tony takes an interest in Loki.

Loki was slowly waking up, going a little still at the small sound in the room. He opened his eyes, seeing Darcy sitting there, a book in her hand. She was watching him, raising an eyebrow as he just stared back at her.

“Are you feeling any better?” She asked, breaking their awkward silence.

Loki closed his eyes. “I think so.”

And he did. The lightheadedness and the prickling of his skin was gone. He made a move to sit up and the ice pack that had been placed on his forehead fell into his lap. Of course if he was too warm, the mortals would treat them him with something cold. Loki hated to admit it, but he did feel better.

“So…um…when Jane gets back, she’s going to want to ask you some stuff about that storm yesterday. I stopped her from coming in here while you were sleeping earlier, but she was kinda mad…so…”

Loki nodded. He could deal with the wrath or foul mood of one mortal woman. He was a little grateful that Darcy had let him rest, though it did nothing to solve his problems.

“Where is she now?” Loki asked, curious to see how long it would be before he would be bombarded with the woman’s questions. He was already preparing to try and skirt around the truth, as he wasn’t sure that the mortals were ready for these secrets. A part of him wanted to actually tell the woman what she wanted to know, if only to anger the Allfather, but then he would have to explain what he was, and he wasn’t sure he was ready for that one.

Darcy opened her mouth to answer him, but was interrupted by a loud bang from the main room. Her head snapped around and she got up to crack open the door, shutting it immediately after.

“No way, they didn’t.” She exclaimed, before cracking the door open to watch what was going on.

“What is it?” Loki asked, moving his legs around to sit up on the edge of the bed. Darcy turned around, biting her bottom lip. She looked a bit torn about answering his questions, which didn’t mean anything good.

“Jane and Erik kinda broke your buddy out of the hospital and brought him back here with them. He just walked into the glass door and fell back onto the dirt.”

Loki went still. Thor was here? That wasn’t good. Slowly, he made a move to stand up, but Darcy hurried over to him to put a hand on his chest.

“Nope, not happening.”

“If Thor is here, the last thing I want is for him to see me lying in bed. If it wasn’t glaringly obvious last night, he doesn’t think highly of me. I do not want him to see me like this just so he can mock me for being weak. Move out of my way, Darcy. I need to do this.”

He hadn’t meant to give her that much insight into his thoughts, but out of the three mortals, she was the one who treated him like a person. She had earned a bit of his trust, and so he would ask this of her instead of forcing her out of his way. He looked straight into her brown eyes, watching the shifting emotions when she finally relented, helping him to stand on his feet.

Once he found his balance, he was fine. He nodded to her in thanks, stepping towards the door, opening it, and heading out into the main room.

Thor wasn’t anywhere in sight. Jane stood over by one of the windows, notebook in hand as she paced back and forth. She looked nervous, though she smiled at the sight of Loki on his feet.

“Oh, you’re up. How are you feeling?”

“Much better, thank you.” He decided to be polite. After all, he had tried to sneak away and steal from her. Best to be a bit humble for now, saving his truer emotions for the possible confrontation with Thor. Jane seemed pleased by how he was acting now. Maybe he could chalk up his foul mood and actions to not feeling well.

Erik chose that moment to re-enter the room. He paused at the sight of Loki, standing a bit straighter as he walked over to one of the desks sitting down. If Loki wasn’t trying to make a better impression on them, he would have laughed at the old man’s attempt at trying to make himself look more confident. Though, when he caught Darcy’s small knowing smile, he couldn’t help grinning back at her.

The door from the bathroom swung open and Thor stood in the doorway. He was wearing a pair of black pants, made of an odd material, and he was shirtless. Darcy made a small impressed sound, while Jane was trying hard not to look. Loki refrained from making a snide remark.

For as long as he could remember, Thor’s appearance, without fail, attracted countless partners to his side. Though it was not a real priority for the man, there were nights where he would indulge in the comfort of the company of women, sometimes even going so far as to take them into his bed.

Loki wasn’t quite so lucky on Asgard, though when they had traveled to some of the other realms, he had found favor with both men and women. Like Thor, he had indulged in the warmth of another body and in pleasure, though nothing every truly felt right to him.

He wanted to scoff at the fact that these women were taking an interest in Thor. He doubted Thor would return the favor, though he might play with these women’s hearts if he got something out of it. Loki would shield Darcy from it, if he could, but Jane was on her own.

“You know, for a crazy homeless person, he’s pretty cut.” Darcy commented from her seat. Loki did snicker at that and Darcy smiled up at him. Thor came out of the bathroom, shirt in hand as he walked into the center of the main room. “Hey, sorry I tased you!”

“Do not apologize for that, Darcy. He is far too arrogant and sometimes needs to be reminded that he isn’t as mighty as he thinks he is.” Loki watched Thor as he spoke.

Thor seemed a little surprised to see Loki there, though after a moment, he turned away. He seemed to notice something on one of the tables, picking it up in distraction. Jane inhaled, rushing over to the still shirtless man.

“Excuse me, excuse me!” Thor let her take the object and put it back down on the table. She realized how close she was as she took a step back, giving the large man his space. As close as she was, she got a great view of his chest and she stuttered a bit, turning to write something down in a notebook to act like she wasn’t doing what everyone thought she was doing.

“What is this?” She glanced up to see the man holding up the shirt, his eyes focused on the nametag on the front. Jane reached over and yanked off the sticker.

“Oh. My ex. Good with patients and bad with relationships.” She laughed a little. “Uh…they’re the only clothes I had that would fit you.”

“They will suffice.” Thor brushed her off walking towards the others.

“You’re welcome.” Jane prompted for the ‘thank you’ she knew she wasn’t going to get as he slid on the shirt. She followed him over to the others noting as Loki was shaking his head.

“This mortal form has grown weak. I need sustenance.” Thor commanded, not paying attention to the reactions of the others in the room.

Loki was watching though. Jane didn’t look pleased at all. Darcy was a little amused by the whole thing. Erik looked a little shocked at the arrogance of the man. Loki’s anger flared a bit. Though he didn’t think highly of these mortals, Thor had no right to treat these people like this. That and Thor was ignoring him again, something he wasn’t going to tolerate any longer.

“You know, Thor, you shouldn’t treat these people like your servants.” Loki said sweetly. “It could prove to be disastrous.”

Thor scowled, turning to look at the younger man. Loki stood straight, his arms folded behind his back. A small smirk on his lips. Red eyes betrayed the calm façade as Thor could see the anger in them.

He had been surprised to see Loki had stuck around. Considering how the man now looked, he expected the man to be long gone from here. Something must have happened to make him stay.

“Loki, what are you doing here?”

“These people were kind enough to offer me a room for the night.” Loki said sweetly, knowing the two of them were being watched. “And they were kind enough to bring you here even after how you reacted last night.”

“No, I mean why are you here? I expected you to be long gone by now, or conned your way back into Father’s good graces to return home.”

This time Loki scowled. It was a low blow, they both knew it, but Thor was trying to rile the man up. Loki was manipulative, good with words and bad with emotions. If he pushed hard enough, these mortals would see him for what he was.

“At least I’m not lumbering about barking orders like a Neanderthal.” Loki sneered, watching as Thor went stiff, eyes filled with rage

“But you are a blue…” Thor started to say, watching as Loki’s eyes narrowed.

“All right, you two. That’s enough.” Jane said. “I’m not going to let you fight and destroy this place. Now right now I’m going to get you both some food and then you are going to answer my questions. Come on, big guy. Let’s go see what I can find in the kitchen.”

The two men just glared at each other, but they stopped arguing…and thinking of ideas on how to torment each other. Thor followed Jane into the kitchen, leaving Loki with the other two.

“You two don’t really like each other, do you?” Darcy asked, watching as Thor and Jane turned the corner.

“I have known Thor my entire life. We were raised together. That being said, we do not have a lot in common.” Loki chose to be diplomatic about the whole thing.

Darcy hummed in understanding. “I’m gonna go see what they’re scrounging up to eat.”

“I don’t think we have anything to scrounge up.” Erik commented, shaking his head. Loki focused on the older mortal. He was stiff, uncomfortable with the turn of events. Unfortunately for them, things were probably going to get worse before they got better.

There was a small shriek and a crash from the kitchen which had Erik on his feet. Loki watched him go before looking out over the long stretch of desert. It was going to be a long day.

In the end, the science trio managed to come up with a box of Pop-Tarts. Unfortunately for Loki, Thor took interest in the dry, crusty pastries, eating them all before Loki had even come to check on them. Then there was the matter of Thor mentioning he was still hungry. That was when they made the decision to go out and eat.

Loki refused, telling them the last thing he wanted was to sit down for a meal with Thor. He made a point of mentioning that it was a bad idea that would just cause another argument and Erik seemed to agree. So Darcy promised to bring him back something as the four remaining people took off for a walk to a local diner.

~~~~~

Frigga looked out over the city from the balcony. She needed a break from sitting with her husband. Thankfully, her husband ruled in a way where he delegated tasks so that everything ran smoothly in his absence. Since she had taken over for him, she hadn’t really had to do anything. The only real task she had to order was for Thor’s friends to see if they could find the source of the Jotun’s entrance into Asgard.

She still thought that Loki had a hand in bringing the Jotuns into Asgard. Frigga had a hunch that she knew how Loki had gotten them in. She doubted that the Jotuns knew the true source of their entrance as Loki had no reason to go into Jotunheim. Most likely, he put the information out there and see who took the bait. If that was true, that meant Asgard was more vulnerable than she had initially thought.

There was an announcement, the warriors she had sent out to search had returned. She wanted desperately to be wrong about how she felt. The last thing she wanted to do was to condemn her younger son. She knew his heart and the good in him. All he needed was the opportunity to shine. Somehow, she knew he would never truly be accepted here on Asgard, but maybe….

“My Queen.” Fandral said as the warriors entered. They bowed before the suave man continued. “We’ve found it. The secret path you told us about.”

Her heart fell. She closed her eyes, not ready to turn and face them. “And you confirmed where it led.”

“Yes, my queen.” Fandral continued.

“It leads right to the Jotun palace. We caught a glimpse of Laufey before we slipped back out of Jotunheim.” Sif added. “We were lucky that we were not caught.”

There was a small silence. Frigga let the information sink in.

“Did you order the guards to watch the entrance of the cave?”

The confirmed they had carried out her order. She squeezed the railing for a moment to ground herself. Frigga had to put on the face of a ruler instead of a mother.

“Asgard is extremely vulnerable right now. Now that we know the Jotuns have found a concrete way into this realm, we must be prepared for the possibility of war. We need to come up with an emergency plan to move the Allfather should the worst happen. I will leave the details up to you. We also need to have the guards and the Gatekeeper on alert.”

The warriors bowed, discussing how they were going to delegate their tasks. Frigga turned back into the distance at the observatory. She longed to go out and talk to Heimdall, at least to get an update on how her sons were doing. It was not the right time for that now. So many preparations needed to be made and the security of their borders needed to be maintained. When this was over, she could do just that, but she had to cling to the hope that her sons would be back with her on Asgard by that time.

“Queen Frigga.” The quiet, stoic voice of Hogun cut through her thoughts. She turned her attention to the warrior from Vanaheim that had sworn his allegiance to help defend Asgard. Out of the warrior’s three, Hogun was the most observant. Sif also had a keen eye, though she often turned a blind eye for Thor’s sake. Hogun, not so much.

“I cannot help thinking about something Laufey said when Thor confronted him. He said that there were traitors in the house of Odin. I believe that a master of magic, such as you or even Loki could have led these Jotuns into Asgard. I do not want to accuse anyone of doing that, but I feel as though it is a possibility we need to look into. If there is a traitor, we need to root it out of our ranks or no matter how much preparation we do, it will not be enough.”

She was impressed by how much Hogun had deduced from what he saw. He was called Hogun the Grim for his stoic nature, especially when it came to combat, however his analytical skills were even more impressive than she would have imagined.

Seeing as they were now alone, the other warriors having gone off while she had been lost in her thoughts, she saw no reason to hide the truth from this man. After all, if this was something he had been dwelling on, there was no doubt in her mind that it would be a distraction to him in the long run. She needed him to trust her.

“I believe I already know who the culprit is behind the Jotuns coming here. I believe Loki has some misgivings about Thor being crowned King and thought to delay it a while longer by provoking him with the attack. I do not believe Loki meant any harm by it, as he could have caused so much more damage. Of course, I do not have any proof that Loki did this, however, I do know he is aware of the secret passageways between the realms and has the magic and knowledge to move between them rather effortlessly. He is one of the skilled few who could pull of such a feat and plan such a small scale invasion without attracting Heimdall’s notice.”

“But if it were Loki, his actions were treasonous.” Hogun pointed out.

“I’m well aware of that.” She added quietly as she turned, heading back to her chair by her husband’s bedside. “I know Loki far better than any other. I do not think he meant for everything to go as far as it did. He is mischievous by nature and there is a rift between him and Thor and Odin that I have been unable to mend. I believe that rift is what fuels his actions. It is something that I will handle when my husband wakes and re-establishes himself on the throne. Until then, there is nothing for you to worry about.”

Hogun bowed in deference to her. “With all due respect, there will always be something to worry about.”

She smiled at him. It felt as though it was the first time in forever that she had, but it had only been two days. She nodded towards him in thanks, and he excused himself to head off and carry out his own assigned tasks. Frigga turned her attention back to her husband, reaching through the healing veil to take his hand.

“I know that you cannot respond to me, dear husband, but I am aware that you can hear me when you are like this. When you wake, there is much for us to discuss about our sons. Until then, all I can do is pray for their safety and for their happiness until the day I may see them again.”

She squeezed his hand, imagined that she felt him squeeze it back in reassurance. This would be one of the longest nights of her life, one she knew she had to endure for the sake of her loved ones and for her people. Closing her eyes, she imagined that Thor and Loki were both there by her side, lending her their combined strength. That and that alone was enough for her to make it through the long and lonely hours of the night.

~~~~~

“How did you get inside that cloud?”

Jane watched as the man in front of her stuffed his mouth full of eggs, watching him chew the rather impressive bite. He couldn’t answer her with his mouth full…well, he could, but it would be rude. It looked like he was going to stay quiet a little while longer.

“Also, how could you eat an entire box of Pop-Tarts and still be this hungry?” Darcy chimed in, really wanting an answer to her question. She was beginning to suspect something was really up with the big guy and the blue hunk waiting for them back at the house. They were too strange, even for foreigners.

Thor took another loud drink of the coffee in front of him to wash down his food. It wasn’t mead, but it was good. Midgardian food was good too, though not as good as what he could get back home. He held out the empty white cup, shaking it in the air as he moving his food in his mouth so he could talk.

“This drink, I like it.” He commented.

“I know. It’s great, right?” Darcy prompted. She was a huge fan of coffee.

“Another!” Thor shouted, slamming the cup onto the floor shattering it. Erik went stiff and the girls cringed at the sound of the ceramic hitting the tiled hard floor. Darcy shriek a bit, staring at the big guy as the sound of Jane’s chair scraping the floor caught her attention.

“Sorry, Izzy. Little accident.” Jane called out to the woman behind the counter before kneeling down to try and pick up the larger pieces of the cup. She was startled and confused and grateful when someone came around from the back of the counter with a broom and dust pan. Shooting back up to her feet to get out of the way, she glared at the man sitting in front of her. “What was that?”

“It was delicious. I want another.” The man answered simply, gazing up at her expectantly. He looked a little confused by her angry tone and maybe there was a cultural difference somewhere, but he had to have learned some manners.

“Well, you could have just said so.” Jane said as she moved to sit back down.

“I just did.” His tone was filled with amusement and reflected his arrogance. Jane felt like she was dealing with a spoiled child…or at least a brat. This man must be so used to getting his way that common courteously took a back seat to whatever he wanted. It was no wonder Loki picked a fight with him, though she got the feeling Loki was used to the same kind of treatment.

“No, I mean, ask nicely.” She responded to it annoyed. Her tone seemed to sober him a bit.

“I meant no disrespect.”

“All right. Well, no more smashing.” Jane was still mad even if he got it now. “Deal?”

After a moment, Thor nodded. “You have my word.”

That would have to be enough for now. At least he seemed serious about keeping his word. “Good.”

Jane could feel Erik’s eyes on her. She knew he still wasn’t happy with all of this. He wanted these two strangers gone from their lives and he wasn’t about to leave to go back to England without them gone first. Darcy, on the other hand, seemed to be amused by the strangers. She was young, but very at ease with dealing with two people with vastly different personalities. At the very least, the younger woman was interested in Thor’s muscles and the strangeness of Loki’s unusual skin color and cold demeanor.

Jane just took a few deep breaths, focusing on the sound of the bell on the door as a pair of men entered the diner. Thor continued to eat his breakfast silently as she heard the men ask for their usual order before they began to talk about something rather unusual.

“You missed all the excitement out at the crater.” The first man who spoke sounded excited.

“They’re saying some kind of satellite landed out in the desert.”

“Yeah, we were having a good time with it until the Feds showed up.” The first man laughed.

Jane and Erik had turned in their seats to pay attention. They had been in the desert last night and hadn’t seen anything but the storm. There was also the fact that they’d run into their mystery pair. Jane had to wonder if this ‘satellite’ came from that storm.

“Excuse me. Did you say there was a satellite crash?”

“Yeah.” The larger man said as he nodded.

In the background, Darcy was more amused by the big guy than the story. She yanked out her phone, amused by how the man was stuffing his face with pancakes. “Oh my God. This is going on Facebook. Smile.”

The man stopped chewing, but his mouth was still full of food as he grinned, pleased with himself. Darcy didn’t know if he really had any idea what she was doing, but she was going to take a picture for posterity. Jane wanted to shake her head at the intern’s antics.

“What did it look like, the satellite?” Erik asked, getting them back on track with the discussion.

“Well, I don’t know anything about satellites, but it was heavy. I mean, nobody could lift it.”

In her peripheral, Jane saw Thor go still. He placed his utensils down on the plate, suddenly interested in what the man was saying. That wasn’t good. It was worse when the man got to his feet, walking over to the two men.

“They said it was radioactive. I had my hands all over it.” One of the men muttered just before Thor grabbed his shoulder.

“Which way?”

The man floundered a bit, confused by the man’s interest. He didn’t see any harm telling him though. “Fifty miles west of here.”

Thor headed for the door. Erik threw down some bills to pay for their meals as they all jumped up to follow him out. Just before Thor went through the door, the men called after him.

“Well, I wouldn’t waste my time! Looked like the whole Army was coming when we left.”

By the time they caught up with the man, he had waded out in the middle of traffic. Car horns were honking at him as he was in the middle of the road without a care. Some called him a dumbass as they swerved to miss him. Jane ran to catch up to him, knowing Erik and Darcy would follow.

“Where are you going?”

“Fifty miles west of here.”

“Why?” He had to know something about the satellite those men had been talking about, but he had to know what he was walking into. It was dangerous.

“To get what belongs to me.”

“So you own a satellite now?”

“It’s not what they say it is.” Thor suggested, though it wasn’t telling her much.

“Well, whatever it is, the government seems to think it’s theirs. So, you just intend to go in there and take it?”

“Yes.” He responded, turning to face her.

There in the middle of the street, smiling like an overconfident loon, Jane wanted to believe him, but even she knew these were impossible odds. Still, she didn’t know to say to him. He looked so happy and eager that she really couldn’t argue against him.

“If you take me there now, I’ll tell you everything you wish to know.”

“Everything?” Jane hoped she really didn’t sound as eager as she did. She really wanted to know about the storm and where he had come from.

“Yes. All the answers you seek will be yours once I reclaim Mjolnir.”

“Myeu-muh? What’s Myeu-muh?” Darcy spoke up, snapping Jane out of her stupor. It seemed like she and Erik had caught up with them.

“Can I have a word, Jane?” Erik called out to the woman. He was getting a little tired of her being so carefree about this.

Jane listened to him, walking over to the side to talk to Erik. Darcy followed them over too, leaving the large man in the middle of the street.

“Please don’t do this.” Erik pleaded.

“You saw what I saw last night. This is no coincidence. We have to find out what’s in that crater.” She insisted, the scientist in her wanting to know all of the answers to this mystery.

“But I’m not talking about the crater, I’m talking about him…and his companion.” Erik glanced over to the man. Thor was still beaming at them.

“But he’s promising us the answers.” Jane wasn’t looking at Erik. She was smiling back at the man.

“He’s delusional.” Erik was getting frustrated now. “Listen to what he’s saying. He’s talking about Mjolnir and Thor and Bifrost. It’s the stories I grew up with as a child.”

“I’m just going to drive him. That’s it.”

“He’s dangerous, Jane.” Erik was shaking. He wanted to reach out and shake the nonsense out of her. Slowly, the excitement drained out of her face as they were confronted by this. She looked away, clearly torn about the decision. Erik watched her as she stepped back towards Thor, her head held high.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t take you.”

“Then this is where we say goodbye.”

He said it so casually that Jane was surprised. She thought he would get mad at her refusal. Instead, he startled her as he reached for her hand, bring it up to his lips in an old world gentlemanly gesture. She flushed and giggled at the absurdity of the whole thing, but the more she thought about it, the gesture was kinda nice.

“Uh….thank you?” She really didn’t know what else to say to that and she was still giggling like a little school girl.

“Jane Foster, Erik Selvig, Darcy, farewell.” Thor bowed like a courtly gentlemen. Darcy was grinning a wide open smile while Erik tried to return the odd gesture himself. He felt obligated to do it. Darcy did a little curtsy trying not to disturb the bag in her hand too much.

“All right.” Erik said questioning why that had gone smoother than he thought it would. “Back to work.”

Thor watched as the trio headed off around the corner. Jane stopped to turn and watch as the man set off down the road once more. She had been so close to getting her answers. Had she just made a mistake?

“Jane?” Erik asked, stopping when she stopped.

“This isn’t right. We shouldn’t be letting him go off alone.”

“It’s out of our hands now. If he stayed, he would have been nothing but trouble.” Erik pointed out.

“Okay, as fun as it is listening to you guys hash this out, I’m going to head back and bring Loki his breakfast. You two fight fair.”

Darcy turned, walking at a brisk pace with a little swing in her step. Clearly she was a little disappointed by them sending Thor away, but was excited to be heading back to see Loki. Once she was out of hearing range, Erik started back up again.

“We need to ask his companion to leave as well. He’s more trouble than his brother.”

“The heat makes him sick and we can’t just throw him out, Erik. I won’t do it.”

“Jane.” Erik spoke her name softly. “You saw what I saw this morning. That man is manipulative, goading Thor into an argument and taking pleasure in it. He’s dangerous in a different way than Thor. Before you know it, he’ll be kicking you out of your own place.”

Jane sighed again. Maybe Erik was right about them both. Still, it didn’t mean she had to like it.

“Well since Thor couldn’t or wouldn’t give me any answers, I want to see what Loki has to say. If he doesn’t have anything useful, at least let’s wait until it gets dark and cooler out.”

“Fine.” Erik agreed gruffly. He knew he couldn’t make Jane do anything she didn’t really want to do. That just meant he had to come to a compromise with her, if only to see her happy. He cared a lot for her and didn’t want to see her get hurt.

They made their way down the streets, turning another corner and making their way to the main road where they lived. A black SUV was stopped on the corner. It honked its horn at a car who ran a stop sign before pulling out, and pulling some familiar equipment behind them.

“Hey!” Jane called out watching the man speed off as she took off running down to the corner. “That’s my stuff.”

The black SUV was down the road by the time she managed to make the corner. She’d never catch up. Turning around to look down at the end of the road, she could see several others were parked outside her lab. Several men in dark suits were inside milling about. That couldn’t be good.

She and Erik took off at top speed. They were inside her lab, her van, her little mobile home in the back. Darcy was standing off to the side with a very put off Loki. Several of the men were staring at the blue skinned man as his red eyes bore into them. Jane heard Darcy explaining something about a play and stage makeup, probably a cover for the man, when she ran inside the building.

“What the hell is going on here?”

A man stepped out form the side to intercept her. He seemed like the man in charge of this freak show. “Ms. Foster, I’m Agent Coulson with S.H.I.E.L.D.”

“Is that supposed to mean something to me?” Jane shouted at the man. She didn’t know what S.H.I.E.L.D. was, but she wanted it out of her lab and out of her building. “You can’t do this.”

Erik, on the other hand, knew exactly what S.H.I.E.L.D. was. He didn’t know everything there was to know about the organization, but he knew the government was involved in some way and that meant there was nothing they could do about it. He rushed to take hold of Jane, trying to calm her down.

“Jane. Jane, this is a lot more serious than you realize. Let it go.” He spoke softly, causing her to turn and glare at him. She was angry, very angry.

“Let it go? This is my life.” She moved away from Erik to shout at the Agent in front of her.

“We’re investigating a security threat. We need to appropriate your records and all your atmospheric data.” Coulson explained to her as she headed for the back. There were a pair of men, not in suits, putting something in the back of a van. They stood facing away from her and the shorter of the two men was typing away on a laptop. She caught a quick glimpse, her anger flaring all over again when she realized that it was Tony Stark messing with her equipment.

“By ‘appropriate,’ do you mean steal?”

The other man next to Stark turned to face them, catching her arm before she could get to the billionaire, his stern features completely recognizable to her as well. She was looking at the face of Captain America himself, though that gave her little comfort. Jane associated the man with the military and she didn’t want to know what they would want with her research. Whatever it was, it wasn’t a good thing and she wasn’t going to sit back and stand for it.

“Ms. Foster, please, calm down.” The war hero spoke, his voice soft, but strong and warm even as he gave his fellow Agent a questioning look. Coulson sighed, pulling something out of his jacket pocket.

“Here. This should more than compensate you for your trouble.”

He held out a check to her which she snatched out of his hands. Taking one look at the figure, she couldn’t believe they could just do this. Her equipment and research meant far more to her than what they were offering her in compensation.

“I can’t just buy replacements at Radio Shack. I made most of this equipment myself!”

“Then I’m sure you can do it again.” Coulson insisted as several more agents brought out other equipment to put in the back of the van. By this point, Jane’s companions, including Loki, had stepped out back to watch the argument go down. Jane wasn’t going to back down from these people, though in the end, it was obvious who was going to win this battle.

“And I’m sure I can sue you for violating my constitutional rights!” She got into the man’s face, even as Rogers held her back. By this point Stark had turned around, glancing around at the two groups of people. He seemed amused by the whole thing, but remained silent.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Foster, but we’re the good guys.” Coulson sounded legitimately apologetic.

“So are we!” Jane insisted. “I’m on the verge of understanding something extraordinary. And everything I know about this phenomenon is either in this lab or in this book. And you can’t just take this away. Hey!”

Jane made the mistake of waving her notebook around. Coulson glanced over at Stark who snatched the book out of her hands before she could even blink, flipping it open to scan through it.

“Thank you!” He said, his tone a little smug by his swift actions. Jane made a grab for it, but Rogers was already there, blocking her from getting to the other man. Still Jane wasn’t backing down, so Erik stepped in.

“Jane! Easy! Easy. Jane…” Erik said as she pulled away from him. This was going to be a huge setback, one Jane wasn’t sure she would ever recover from, and it showed on her face.

“Now about your companion.” Coulson spoke up, glancing over at Loki. His vibrant blue skin and red eyes stood out. It screamed alien to these agents, not that they had much to go on.

“I keep telling you jerks.” Darcy spoke up. “Loki and I are in a play together. Haven’t you seen stage makeup and contact lenses before?”

“He broke one of our agent’s arms and knocked another one unconscious.” Rogers pointed out. It was a miracle the man wasn’t in handcuffs or at least not having a bunch of guns aimed at him.

“Perhaps next time you come into a building uninvited, you shouldn’t act like an army plundering a village and definitely not with weapons drawn.” Loki sounded a bit miffed by the whole ordeal. “I was defending myself from those who would have cause me harm. Your attack on me was unjustified.”

“And that is why we didn’t put you in handcuffs.” Coulson added. “Colonel Rogers, it’s best if we let this go for now. He had a right to defend himself.”

Rogers didn’t look happy at all. Instead of backing off, his eyes raked over that of his most obvious opponent. Loki didn’t look like he was about to back down, holding his head up high and proud as those eerie red eyes stared down his biggest threat here. Not that he considered this man a threat. He could probably break his arm too if he tried hard enough, not that it would be an easy task at all.

“Steve.” Stark said from behind the man. “You got to let it go. As far as I see it, those idiots deserved what they got. We got what we came here for, so let’s just go.”

Coulson nodded in agreement, not quite believing that Tony Stark was actually being sensible about this. Steve backed down a bit, still wary of the man in front of him, and understandably so. Coulson moved to round up their men so they could go. Rogers hung back with Stark as he finished up some preparations. Jane and her crew could do nothing but watch as the men loaded up her stuff and began to pull out.

Once they were completely done, Coulson came back to them, nodding at Jane. “Thank you for your cooperation.”

Jane was devastated. It wasn’t as if she had a choice in this. As Rogers and Stark closed up the last van, she knew she would never see any of her equipment or data again. Years of hard work, of research and data gathering gone in the blink of an eye. She turned to walk back into the building, unable to watch the last vehicle pull away with her life’s work.

Loki watched the woman go and the others follow her inside. Though he had never had anything like this happen to him, he could empathize with her a bit. After all, he’d seen a few mages have to cease doing their research, mostly due to Odin deeming it too dangerous for the realms for them to be able to continue. It was a shame to see one’s work halted just like that and it was worse to see it all taken away.

When these men had first entered the building, Loki didn’t know what to think. He had been startled and confused by their arrival and he knew his appearance must have startled them as well. They had pulled their weapons on him and Loki had simply reacted. He wasn’t about to be taken down here and by a few pathetic mortals at that. Thankfully, Darcy had shown up towards the end of the scuffle and managed to persuade Coulson to get his men to back off.

The blond headed man was the hardest one to persuade to back off. Loki could tell the man would have been a challenge even for him. The man looked as though he had the weight of this entire realm on his shoulders. It was a look of age and of wisdom and the remnants of a man who was still very much a leader and a warrior. Loki could respect that, though he wouldn’t tell the man such a thing. The last thing one told an enemy was that you respected them.

The other man, the shorter one with a quick mouth and a matching wit, was the other person Loki took a special interest in. He had come into the building, took one look at Loki, and laughed, of all things. He then proceeded to tell Loki that he looked like a smurf with decorations, whatever that was, and started to tease the blond man about losing his temper.

The man in question was looking at him now. It was obvious that he was holding up the last vehicle from leaving. From his expression, he was taking a particular interest in Loki as much as Loki had taken an interest in him. He heard the blond man call out to his companion, calling him by the name Tony. The blond man was ignored by Tony who approached Loki with a small grin on his face.

“Hey, I just wanted to apologize for Steve. He’s got a bit of a chip on his shoulder, especially when the agents got hurt.”

“If he didn’t want your agents to get hurt then he should train them better…teach them some restraint.”

“Well you came out of all of this unscathed, so no harm, no foul. You know. No hard feelings. Right?”

Loki didn’t know what this man was trying to accomplish, but as Loki didn’t consider him a threat, he supposed it wouldn’t do him any harm to play along. “Indeed.”

Tony gave him a strange look. “That’s a weird choice of words. Where did you say you were from?”

“I didn’t supply you with that information. I don’t see why I should tell you that either.”

The man held up his hands. “Okay, okay. I didn’t mean to push. You’re just interesting to me, that’s all. I’ve never seen anyone fight like you do, not even Steve.”

Loki had to wonder if all mortals were this strange or if he just happen to stumble on a special sort. The man was telling him the truth about thinking he was interesting and that sort of bothered Loki, but he wasn’t sure why.

“Tony!” Another shout came from the van. “Now!”

“I’ve gotta go, but I’d like to talk to you again sometime. I’ve got a feeling we’ll run into each other again, so I’ll see you when I see you.”

Loki was about to respond, to tell the man that he wasn’t interested, but the words wouldn’t come. He was saved by the return of Darcy, who poked her head out the door. “Loki, your food is getting cold.”

“I will be in a moment, Darcy.”

He turned back in time to see Tony climbing into the back of the vehicle without another word. As much as Loki hated to admit it, he too felt like he would be seeing the mortal again. A part of him was dreading it, mostly because he knew with the explosiveness of the emotions of both parties, it wouldn’t end well.

As he watched the vehicle pull away, his thoughts turned to another explosive party. Thor hadn’t returned with the mortals and that wasn’t a good sign. That rash fool had probably run off somewhere and Loki couldn’t help the curse that slipped past his lips. This day just kept getting worse and worse.

~~~~~

Tony was looking out the window until they turned the corner. There was something about the man he had just been talking to that intrigued him. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but he liked him. Snarky, intelligent, and obviously a decent fighter.

“What was that back there?”

Tony glanced over at Steve. The man’s eyes were still angry, though Tony expected another shouting session than a well thought out question.

“Just being friendly. He’s interesting.”

“He’s dangerous, well trained. I doubt he’s an actor like that girl claimed he was.”

“And you know this because?” Tony pushed.

“The way he moves, the way he holds himself. He’s arrogant and something tells me he’s used to getting his way.”

Tony hummed lightly. “Sounds like my kind of guy.”

“And Pepper?”

Tony laughed. “I didn’t say I wanted to date him. I just think he’s interesting…strange, but in a good way. Besides, I doubt this’ll be the last time we see him. Might as well try and be a little friendly so he doesn’t start bashing our heads in the next time we meet.”

At that, Steve frowned, glaring at him. Tony shrugged before looking out the window. The girl said his name was Loki. The name wasn’t a typical one, definitely not American by any means. He was going to have to look it up later when Steve wasn’t around. For some reason, he gravitated towards this guy and his mind was curious enough to want to find out the reason why.

“I don’t like it, but you’re going to do what you want anyway. Just promise me you’ll be careful.”

“I promise. Scouts honor and all that.” Tony teased, poking Steve in the arm. He really needed to figure out a way to get the older man to lighten up and have some fun. The stress had to be killing him.

“I’m serious, Tony.”

“I was too. Look, if it makes you feel any better, I’ll do some research on him. The girl called him Loki. How many Lokis do you think are here in the States? Relax, Steve. I got this.”

When Steve didn’t comment on that, he took it as a win. He would be looking up the man the first chance he got, but first they were getting all this stuff back to their makeshift lab and workshop.

Tony wasn’t a huge fan of work, but this was turning out to be interesting. For once, he’d be willing to put work before play if it produced something interesting. Tony smirked as he continued to look out the window at the vast expanse of desert. This was turning out to be a very interesting trip after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been so out of sorts lately and I really didn't think I was going to have this ready for you all this week. In the end, I did end up winning Camp NaNoWriMo after busting out 16,000 words in three days. It was rough, but I managed to finish this and get that done. That being said, I think I might take a week off to recharge. (Unless I get some strong inspiration this week, but I can't say whether I will or not.) I do have another chapter of Before We Go done as well, but I haven't gotten it back from my beta yet. She was doing Camp as well, so I'm not gonna hound her for it. (I never do. I know she's busy and works hard and that's why I always call her awesome beta.) As soon as she can get them back to me, I'll get it up, so be on the lookout for that this week as well. Now for how I feel about the chapter.
> 
> This chapter felt like more filler even if I did have some aspects of the movie in this. I am setting up for some stuff surrounding Loki and for the changes of what's going to happen on Asgard in the next couple of chapters. I know it's slow going right now, but things will start to pick up in the next chapter, so I hope that you will all keep reading this along as I write it and I hope you all enjoy it.
> 
> That being said, please leave comments and kudos. I like knowing you guys like what I'm writing and I know I haven't said it for a while, but I'm trying to improve on my writing by working on this. Constructive criticism is always welcome and hearing from you all encourages me to keep on writing. Also check out the links below. (Sorry about not having click links you guys. I've tried them and I can't seem to make them work.)
> 
> Check out the cover for this story by the amazing RiceChex: http://ricechex.tumblr.com/post/123895491365
> 
> Follow me on Social Media:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here. I'm trying to get more active on this.): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Very active on this. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories by the links below or on my profile!
> 
> Hydra Verse Series  
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 8 Posted - 07/26/2015): http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag the interview of the century. The chance to ask Captain America about his past and what exactly made him the man he is today.
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014): http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829  
> One-shot stories in the realm of the Hydra Verse that don't fit in the regular stories of the series. (Descriptions in each chapter)
> 
> Other Stories  
> Do I Look Worried To You? (One Shot - 07/23/15): http://archiveofourown.org/works/4402937  
> Steve Rogers has been searching for his best friend for a long time, so when he gets that phone call, he can't resist going. What he finds, isn't what he expects.


	52. To Want to Fly Only to Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jane is still reeling from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s theft and she's about to do something incredibly reckless by helping Thor with Loki along for the ride. Meanwhile, S.H.I.E.L.D. is trying to understand their 0-8-4, but they keep running into complications.

“Years of research, gone.”

Jane was sulking, but no one could really blame her. She’d just lost her life’s work, everything. She was allowed to sulk a little bit.

“They even took my iPod.” Darcy commented from where she sat.

They were all sitting outside on the roof. Even Loki had come to join them, though he had changed into a t-shirt and sweatpants Darcy had managed to scrounge up. She’d thrown an ice cold towel over his head and while that should have fazed him, it clearly didn’t. He seemed almost annoyed about needing it in the bright sunlight due to his sensitivity. Now he sat silently behind them on a lounge chair, listening to them talk and watching them, but not commenting on anything.

“What about the backups?” Erik inquired.

“They took our backups.” Jane huffed. “They took the backups of our backups. They were extremely thorough.”

“I just downloaded, like, 30 songs onto there.” Darcy pointed out, causing Jane to glare at her harshly.

“Could you please stop with your iPod?” She snapped, not caring one bit about Darcy’s loss. Not when she’d lost so much more. “Who are these people?”

“I knew this scientist.” Erik started off with, glancing over at Jane. “The pioneer in gamma radiation. S.H.I.E.L.D. showed up…and um…and he wasn’t heard from again.”

“They’re not gonna do that to us. I’m gonna get everything back.”

“Come on, please.” Erik pleaded, trying to keep her from doing something recklessly stupid. “Let me contact one of my colleagues. He’s had some dealings with these people before. I’ll e-mail him and maybe he can help.”

“They took your laptop, too.” Darcy informed him. He took a deep breath to keep from getting angry. It wouldn’t do him any good to get angry or worry about the fact that his laptop was taken. He’d probably never see it again anyway, so what was the point.

“I guess we’ll go to the library and get it sent out then.”

He stood up and turned around catching Loki’s gaze. Something about the man unnerved him.

“What are you going to do now?” Erik asked the man. “We don’t need any more information from you, so it might be best if you move along.”

Loki lifted his head, holding it high and proud. “I have nowhere to be at the present moment, though you seem to have found yourselves in a rather unfortunate situation.”

“We’ll handle it on our own.” Erik’s tone was clipped and Loki smirked as the man held his ground.

“I care not whether you want my help. Those men attacked me and I don’t deal kindly with those who seek to harm me. Fortunately for you, I find myself facing my own difficult circumstances, so I’m more willing to help.”

Erik opened his mouth to protest, but Jane cut him off. “And what can you do for us?”

“I might be able to sneak into whatever place they are keeping your equipment and research. Little bit, by little bit, I can get what I can and get it back to you. At the very least, you will not be starting out with nothing.”

Loki knew that he could hide himself from intruders. It seemed that his magic was locked away only when he tried to mask what he was. As long as he was using it to protect himself, he could shield his body from prying eyes, for a little while at least. Loki had figured this out when the intruders had come through the door. Without thinking much about it, he’d cast the spell, allowing him to be shielded in a short burst to gain the upper hand. Surely his magic, if used for the gain of another, would work again.

“No, it’s reckless. You’ll get caught and then what will you do?” Erik shook his head, not wanting to hear what they were discussing.

“I won’t get caught. We’ll use the cover of night and my…” He paused to think of an appropriate phrase. The last thing he wanted was to admit to being able to use magic. That always brought about trouble for him. “…unique skills to do it. I give you my word that you will not be left empty handed.”

“And what do you want in return?” Jane asked.

“I need a place to stay for a few days. As much as I hate to admit this, I am unfamiliar with my surroundings and in dealing with issues of a personal nature. I would like a few days to get my bearings and plan out what I have to do.”

Jane only needed a moment to think about it. “Done.”

“Jane…” Erik warned, but didn’t get too far.

“No. If he can do what he says he can…it’s better than being left with nothing at all. You can still go and e-mail your friend to see if he can help, but I’ve made up my mind on this. I don’t want to come out of this empty handed.”

“And if he can’t do what he’s telling you he can do?”

She looked from Erik to Loki and then back to Erik. “Then he can find someplace else to stay.”

Jane turned back to look at him. “You hear me? Break our deal and I will personally throw you out of my house. I don’t care if you’re taller or stronger than me, I expect you to go.”

“You have my word. If I cannot deliver anything to you, then I will leave here immediately.”

Erik huffed, clearly not happy at losing the argument. He ran a hand through his hair and turned away. “Can I at least get a lift to the library?”

~~~~~

“Do you have any idea where their compound is?” Loki inquired as he glanced around the street. It was the first time he’d sat in the front of the moving vehicle. They had a few transport vehicles on Asgard, but they were more for fighting or moving goods from one place to another. Most of the time, the Aesir walked or rode horses to get to where they needed to be. These mortals were lazy creatures.

“I think so. Thor said something about reclaiming something that belonged to him. The government is probably working with S.H.I.E.L.D., so I guarantee it’s the same place. About 50 miles west of here.”

Loki stiffened up a bit at the mention of Thor’s name. Jane watched his face closely, looking for the shifting emotions. She wasn’t dumb. She knew that there was something going on between the two men since the moment they met, but she had been so absorbed with her research…with finding out the truth behind the mysteries of the universe…that she hadn’t been paying attention until now.

“I want you to be honest with me. What’s going on between you and Thor? I get that it might be personal, but if you want me to trust you, you’ve gotta give me something.”

Loki’s eyes narrowed a bit. It wasn’t as intimidating to her as he thought. She knew he would be upset by her asking, but it was something she needed to know. Jane didn’t know either man very well, but from what she had seen, they were both very different people. Thor was more brash and quick to react. Loki seemed to be the quiet one, but when he did speak, his words were well thought out. Loki was more analytical while Thor was a man of action.

“Thor is my older brother.” Loki finally admitted, though it was clear it wasn’t something he really wanted to discuss. “We’re in the middle of a feud that only we can solve. It’s put us both in…a difficult situation.”

Jane glanced over at him to see if he was telling the truth. He was being vague on purpose, but he had given her just enough information that she felt like she could start to trust him.

“All right. I’ll leave it alone, but you two need to figure out something when you meet up again. I don’t know what’s going on, but you’re both so hostile towards each other. I don’t want to be around if you two decide to fight it out.”

“We have reason to be. Do not worry. I have no plans to take on Thor and I doubt he takes me as a serious threat or worthy opponent to face.”

She wanted to ask about that, even if she got another vague answer, but the sound of a familiar voice shouting for a horse made her turn to look for the source. She caught the last glimpse of brown leather and blond hair as it turned into the pet store and heard Loki mutter something low.

“You’re going to fetch him, aren’t you?” He added, loud enough for her to speak.

“We’re going the same place and I don’t have any plans. We’ll be in the car for a couple of hours. Maybe the two of you can hug it out or something.”

Loki frowned even though he could tell that she was somewhat joking about his situation with Thor. Darcy also went to levity to combat serious situations, so although it was a foreign concept to him, he was beginning to recognize it.

“Unfortunately, our situation will not improve with words alone.”

“Well, you two need to start somewhere.” She huffed and the vehicle surged forward a few feet so she was stopped right outside the store. She opened the window before calling out to Thor. “Hey, you still need a lift?”

Thor turned around to face her, a little surprised to see her and Loki. His younger brother looked less than pleased to see him. Loki’s face was partially hidden by the hood of the coat he wore, but the blue was unmistakable. He didn’t hesitate as he walked over to the car, climbing into the back seat.

In the front, Jane gave Loki a little push and a glare before the man got up and moved to the back to sit with Thor. He didn’t look at all happy about being persuaded to move to the back. Thor got the impression that anything his brother had to say to him now would only come out hostile and bitter. Still, he had to say something.

The first part of their trip was spent in silence. Red and blue stared each other down, neither of them wanting to give the other the benefit of breaking the silence first. They both knew that they couldn’t leave things as they stood, but they also believed the issue at hand was far greater than both of them.

“I did not think that your gaze would ever unnerve me. I suppose I will get used to it.” Thor finally spoke, his first words meant to sting Loki’s pride a bit.

Loki cocked his head, lips curling a bit as if he were amused. “I would think you would be used to being stared at by your many admirers. Tell me Thor, how does it feel to have these Midgardians fawn over your appearance?”

Blue eyes narrowed in anger and frustration. He should have known all he would get from Loki the man’s biting words along with his anger and blame for what Thor had no control over.

“I would take the admiration of many if it meant not being truly alone.”

This time it was red that narrowed. It was a low blow and Thor knew it. Loki was always the one who had never fit in on Asgard, the one who was always alone. Now that his true nature had been revealed, Thor was starting to see why.

“Your arrogance truly knows no bounds, does it? The Mighty Thor can do no wrong. He makes no mistakes and thinks with heart instead of with his head.”

“I do what I feel is right. It is not my fault that Father did not understand what I was trying to do. It seems that you didn’t either.”

Loki grew quiet, his voice came out softer than before. “No, I understood why you did what you did. I still thought it was reckless and dangerous and I now see what your actions have brought upon us both.”

“You did not have to rise to the challenge in the hall. If you hadn’t we would be back home and I would be facing a different punishment.”

“That’s not what I meant. You were the one who rushed into Jotunheim without thinking about every possibility. Not only that, Odin had forbidden it. If we hadn’t gone, I would still be blessedly ignorant to what I truly am and we wouldn’t be here.”

Thor felt the surge of anger. He was not about to let Loki put all the blame of this on him, not when he had done what he thought was right and the best course of action to protect their people.

“If that was how you felt, then why did you agree with me? Why did you not stay behind when I insisted we go to Jotunheim? Why did you not run to father when you knew of my plan? Surely you could have stopped me from going instead of coming with us.”

“I told a guard to go to Odin after we left. That was how he knew where we had gone to come after us.” Loki hissed. “And for all your reasoning now, what would you have done had I refused? I know you, Thor and I know your friends.”

“Our friends.” Thor corrected.

“No, they have always been your friends. They treat me with contempt, mock me and my skills. To you and to them I am not a true warrior.” Loki leaned in to get closer to Thor. “I do tricks, remember?”

Thor recalled the incident in the hallway just before the ceremony. The snakes and the wine. Had Loki done that out of spite for Thor’s words and the servant’s laughter?

“That still didn’t answer my question.”

Loki laughed once, though it lacked amusement or humor to it. “Either you would have questioned my abilities, teased and goaded me into coming. And if I still refused you, I would have been hauled off to Jotunheim despite my protests. I told you that going to that realm was madness. Why couldn’t you have listened to me once?

“It is always lies with you, brother. Deceiving, conniving, and sweet words to bend someone to do your bidding. You instigate and you taunt and you manipulate. I was not about to be swayed by words I could not be sure that you meant.”

Loki looked utterly furious at his words. “And why do you think I do that? I’ve known for a long time what the people think of me. If I am ever to get anything accomplished, I have to put in the extra effort to make it happen. No one listens to me, no one respects me enough to listen. Time and time again, I see what happens when I am ignored, and yet you still don’t listen.”

Thor shook his head. “This conversation is getting us nowhere. I was a fool to think that you were capable of talking this out.”

“And I was a fool to hope that for one moment you would just listen for once and actually hear what I had to say to you.”

Loki looked stricken and worn down. Thor realized he was looking at his brother’s true self, not the one hidden behind masks and platitudes. Perhaps everything that had transpired over the last several days had taken its toll on Loki and the man was starting to unravel. Either way, it was clear they were done talking for now.

Thor knew that this wasn’t over, but since he wasn’t getting anywhere he left Loki to sulk, climbing into the front seat next to Jane. She gave him an apologetic look, not sure what advice she could give to them. Loki had been right about one thing. They needed to figure this out on their own.

No one said anything for a little while, the awkward tension too thick to have a pleasant conversation. Loki shifted in the back and Thor glanced out the window, looking at the scenery as it went by. Jane couldn’t take much more of the thick, stuffy air.

“I’ve never done anything like this before.” Jane admitted, wanting to break the silence. She took her eyes off the road briefly to glance at Thor. “Have you ever done anything like this before?”

Thor smiled and nodded. “Many times. But you’re brave to do it.”

“More like foolish.” Loki called from the back. Thor turned around to frown at him, though Loki wasn’t looking at them. He had moved to lay across the bench seat, face turned towards the seat itself, so all Thor could see was the back of the hood. They would have words later, once he had reclaimed what was his.

“Well, they just stole my entire life’s work. I don’t really have much left to lose.”

“Yeah, but you’re clever. Far more clever than anyone else in this realm.”

“Realm? Realm?” She questioned, though she sounded like she was mocking him just a little bit.

“You think me strange.” It wasn’t a question. It was a little obvious in how she reacted to both him and Loki.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Good strange or bad strange?”

“I’m not quite sure yet.” She responded, a little on the edge of laughter. She was smiling, so Thor had to take it as a good sign.

There was a sound that shocked them both out of their world. Jane had driven off the path and had to jerk back over to correct herself. She had to laugh a little bit at her foolishness. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she was a little smitten with the man sitting next to her. When he joined in the laughter, she felt a little strange. “I’m sorry.”

The mood turned a little bit awkward again as the laughter stopped. Jane was so confused by her own reactions and the words of this stranger. She was confused by his equally odd brother and what they were heading off to do. She wanted to know who these men were, why they were the way that they were, and why they were here.

“But who are you? Really?” She said out loud to Thor.

He looked like he was thinking about if for a moment when he smiled again. “You’ll see soon enough.”

“You promised me answers.” She pointed out, hoping she didn’t sound as annoyed as she thought she did.

Thor looked at her. He went to open his mouth when he heard Loki shift behind him. For a few moments, he’d forgotten his brother was in the car.

“Not that you’ll listen to my opinion Thor, but I think it unwise to tell her. I doubt that humans would completely understand what we know.”

Jane was about to argue back, but Thor beat her to it. “A few days ago I would have shared that opinion. I find myself surprised to meet someone as bright and clever as Jane.”

In the rear view mirror, she saw Loki shake his head. He had sat up, glancing at them from the side.

“You will do what you want anyway. I’m in no condition to stop you, though do not say that I didn’t warn you if something goes wrong.”

Thor nodded, turning back to Jane. “What you seek, it’s a bridge.”

“Like an Einstein-Rosen Bridge?”

“More like a Rainbow Bridge.” He didn’t know what kind of bridge she was referring to, but perhaps the Bifrost was called something different on this realm.

Jane shook her head “God, I hope you’re not crazy.”

~~~~~

The smell of moisture was heavy in the air. Steve leaned against a support beam, looking out at the darkened sky. The sun only a slight streak on the horizon. He’d heard Tony complaining about thunderstorms tonight. Steve had promptly told the man to stop complaining and got him working on Dr. Foster’s equipment.

He had a twisting feeling in his gut. Something unpleasant headed their way, he just knew it. As it was, he still felt the sting of the earlier encounter with Dr. Foster’s strange associate. The blue skinned man unnerved him unlike any person Steve had ever met. There was just something otherworldly about the man despite the proper way he held himself and the elegant, formal speech he used. To make matters worse, his trouble magnet Godson seemed to be more interested than he should be with the man.

In the distance, thunder sounded, causing the soldier to shiver a bit. Normally he didn’t mind storms, but something about the one heading their way only cemented the thoughts in his head. It was like a prelude to some terrible story. Steve didn’t like it.

“Colonel Rogers?” Steve turned to glance over at Coulson standing in the makeshift doorway. He frowned, not liking the formality, though he knew it was a necessity around the younger agents. “Stark asked me to check on you. He’s convinced you’re upset about something…again.”

“I’m not mad. I’m worried.” Steve settled on saying after thinking for a moment.

“About the hammer?”

“About this whole situation. Something doesn’t feel right. Don’t tell me you’re not thinking the same thing, Phil.”

Coulson nodded. “No, I feel it too. That’s why I called in Agent Barton. He’s been sulking in the corner of the main room for about an hour now. Seems he and Sitwell got into it on their last mission together, so he’s not too pleased with me putting Sitwell in charge, not that Barton would know what to do with all this equipment.”

Steve nodded. “Clint’s better at analyzing from a distance. We’ll need his sharp eyes and wit to move if something does happen. I’m glad you called him in. He’s one of the few people I know who’s not afraid to rush in tough situations. I know that we can count on him.”

Coulson studied his mentor for a moment before pulling the folder out from under his arm. “This is all the information Stark managed to find on Dr. Foster and her team. As for Loki, all that’s come up are myths and legends about the God of Chaos. It seems it’s not a very popular name. The short list doesn’t seem to have anyone with the name Loki on it that fits our man’s description. There’s also no one named Loki in the database for entries into the country. Our man doesn’t have a single piece of paperwork on him, at least none that we can find.”

Steve took the folder from him. The information seemed fairly straightforward regarding Dr. Foster, Dr. Selvig, and Miss Lewis. What bothered him was the lack of information of the fourth member of the team.

“He can’t have just popped up out of thin air. We need to dig deeper, see if we can find out where he came from and why he’s here.” When Coulson gave him a skeptical look, he continued. “I know you don’t believe me, but I have a gut feeling. Lately, my gut feelings aren’t steering me wrong, so you’re going to have to trust me on this, Phil. You saw how dangerous he was, even if he was acting only in self defense, he’s capable of violence.”

“That I don’t have any doubts on.” Coulson agreed. “I’ll keep digging. I’ve got a few ideas we haven’t tried, but I’m not going to be able to do it until the morning. Sitwell’s team managed to get the equipment set up and we’re about to get started. A few scientists are already in the center with the hammer. We needed to worry about the risk to the public before the risk of one man.”

“The last time we ignored the risk on one man, he bombed our country and made himself a dictator.” Steve pointed out a little sourly.

“So, am I to take that to mean that you won’t be joining us?”

Steve thought about it for a moment. “I’m not comfortable with all the science stuff. I think I’m going to stay here a bit longer. Radio in if you need me.”

The older man tapped the com in his ear as proof he was wearing one. Coulson nodded and went back inside the makeshift building. As Steve listened to the patrols reporting in his ear, he already knew it was going to be a long night.

~~~~~~

It was well past sunset by the time Jane, Thor, and Loki made it to their destination. They had to park the car some distance away and walk to reach the lit up compound. Jane and Thor had both been a little surprised that Loki had decided to join them. The blue-skinned man had made an annoyed sound before slamming the back door shut and silently waited for them to take off.

About half way there, it had begun to thunder and now they could see the occasional flash of lightning. Thor would smirk at the sight of it and Loki would shake his head, but thankfully wouldn’t comment on it. Once they arrived, they hunkered in the sand dunes of the desert, the darkness hiding their forms from the patrolling men behind the chain link and barb wire fence.

“That’s no satellite crash!” Jane exclaimed quietly, not wanting to draw attention to their presence, but also still pissed about the whole S.H.I.E.L.D. taking her research situation. She was peeking through her binoculars trying to get a better look, but with the white plastic covering, all she could see were the shadows of men everywhere. “They would have hauled the wreckage away, they wouldn’t build a city around it.”

Thor was on his knees, peeling off his jacket to drape over Jane’s body. Loki and Jane both looked up at him.

“You’re going to need this.” Thor said to Jane.

“What? Wait, why?” Jane asked.

“You’re really going to go do something reckless again, aren’t you?”

Despite the fact Loki phrased his words as a question, there was a bit of accusation in it. Loki knew what he was going to do. His brother, of all people should know why he had to do this.

“You know that I must.” He said to Loki. Right then, thunder sounded and echoed through the space. Thor glanced up at the sky and smiled, turning his face to Jane. “Now stay here. Once I have Mjolnir, I will return the items they’ve stolen from you. Deal?”

“No, look what’s down there.” Jane gestured to the compound. “You think you’re just gonna walk in, grab our stuff and walk out?”

“No. I’m going to fly out.”

That left Jane gaping a bit, but before she could say anything else to him, he was already heading for the site. Instead, she looked at Loki.

“Please tell me he wasn’t serious.”

“If he can get his hands on Mjolnir, there are not many who would be able to stop him from leaving. However, I doubt this is going to be as simple as he thinks it is. The person who sent us here will no doubt make it difficult for both of us to achieve our goals. I’ve already learned that in the past few days I’ve spend here.”

“And Thor?”

“I believe he is about to find out. It is a shame he hadn’t learned that by now.”

Jane took a deep breath. What Loki was telling her made sense. Though she had tried her best to ignore it, she’d heard every word they had spoken to each other on the way here. It seemed that no amount of persuasion would have stopped Thor from going in. Thor was one of those people that learned by doing and not thinking before him. Jane had a sickening feeling that this wasn’t going to end well.

~~~~~

Inside the compound, the equipment appeared to be on the fritz. Cell phones service and screens were going in and out. So were the monitors and cameras observing the work around the 0-8-4. Agents were milling about, discussing the failing equipment.

Tony banged his hand against the side of his tablet. The thing was just as bad as the other equipment. He frowned. Not being able to do any worked sucked and he was definitely in the need for more coffee. What he wouldn’t give for the good stuff and not the crap Sitwell had gotten in.

Steve walked into the command center just as Sitwell was working with a tech to reroute a plane to go around the temporary restricted airspace.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite grumpy Colonel. Done sulking?”

“You’re one to talk.” Steve muttered before speaking louder. “I wasn’t sulking. I was thinking about a few things and I wanted to be alone. The storm’s about to start, so I thought I would take cover, not that this thing will provide us with much comfort.”

“Better than getting wet.”

Steve made a curious sound. “That’s weird coming from you.”

“I know. I must be turning into you in my old age.” Tony winked at him, before placing his tablet on the table.

“Tony, you’ll never turn into me. You’re too narcissistic and proud for that.” Steve bantered back, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

“You know me well and how you can drink that swill is beyond me. I need to educate you in the wonders of a great brew.”

Steve smirked for the first time in hours behind the rim of the coffee cup. “Remind me to show you how we brewed coffee on the war front in the forties. I guarantee you, you’ll never complain about S.H.I.E.L.D.’s brand of coffee ever again.”

“I doubt that.”

The tension Steve felt from keeping watch all day was slowly dissipating with the light banter. He had decided to come in, seeing as the storm would probably keep intruders at bay. No one in their right mind would come out to the middle of nowhere in the middle of a bad thunderstorm. He’d let himself relax a bit, if only for a few hours of peace.

“Hold a sec. We’ve got something outside the fence, west side.” A tech said to Sitwell and Steve went still. He pushed off the table he leaned on and approached.

“What is it?” Steve asked as the tech pointed to what looked like a hole in the fence. Maybe he’d spoken too soon and there was someone stupid enough to try and break in in this weather.

“I don’t know.” Sitwell responded, holding his radio up to his mouth. “Delancey, Jackson. West side perimeter. Go check it out.”

The cameras chose that moment to go to fuzz again, staying out for longer than it had been. The interference was getting worse as the storm moved in. It was only a matter of time before they would have to call it for the night. Without a visual, Sitwell was getting a bit antsy and Roger’s fists were curling tightly with tension.

“Delancey, Jackson, report.”

He paused waiting a moment to hear back from his agents, when he heard another voice come over the radio.

“Agents down. We’ve got a perimeter breach.”

Steve cursed, causing the two agents to stare at him. Stark just smirked a bit at their stunned reaction before he picked up the vibranium shield, tossing it over to Steve. Steve caught it with practiced ease, attaching it to the magnets on his back before he was stomping out the door. He had a feeling he knew where the intruder was heading. Hopefully the men would find him and slow him down just enough that Steve could get there first. He barely stepped out of the trailer and into the open when the skies opened up and the rain poured down.

~~~~~

Thor had felt a bit of satisfaction when he had punched to two guards, knocking them out. He’d borrowed one of their rain jackets, trying to blend in as he walked into more open areas. He hid behind a small, metal, rectangular container of some sort, just a few feet away from the entryway of the compound. Just before he stepped out to make his way to the door, a loud mechanical alarm sounded, adding notes of discord to the storms natural symphony of thunder, lightning, and rain. He smirked. Sneaking wasn’t exactly his style. This was better, much better.

~~~~~

Jane and Loki watched the flurry of movement down below. They could hear the alarms blaring and Jane gasped as a searchlight swung their direction, nearly illuminating them. She and Loki slid back out of sight, but Jane was a little shaken up at almost being caught.

Loki’s eyes narrowed as he stared down at the scene below. Now it was a waiting game. Hopefully Thor wouldn’t get taken down by these mortals. While he had conviction that Thor was strong, he also knew that there were a lot of mortals down there and Thor wasn’t at full strength.

Jane was already laying back in the dirt, a device pressed to her ear. Despite the low volume, Loki’s exceptional hearing picked up the recorded message coming from the device. His eyes were still focused on the scene below even as he listened to the fuzzy message.

You’ve reached Dr. Erik Selvig. Please leave me a message.

“Hi Erik, it’s me. Don’t worry, I’m fine, but um…just in case you don’t hear from me in the next hour, just come by the crater site and try and find me, okay? I did exactly what you told me not to. I’m sorry. So sorry. Bye.”

Loki shook his head. He wouldn’t allow himself or the woman to get caught, even if they had to run back to her vehicle and leave the area. He wanted to see this, no, he needed to see this. He needed to see if this would change anything…for Thor and for himself.

~~~~~

Thor was still maneuvering through the shadows. He realized that there were too many men for him to fight all at once, but he would get as far as he could before he got caught. He wanted to at least make it to the entrance, but with all the uniformed mortals running about, he didn’t think that would be possible.

He listened out for what they were saying when he heard it, the sound of a high pitched ringing in the air, and he knew Mjolnir must be close. His weapon resonated with the storm, with the natural lightning here and he couldn’t help the small smirk as he looked up to the sky. The rain would be falling any moment now, further masking his presence.

Just as he had the thought, the skies opened and he pulled the hood over his head, running for the entrance. He could feel the eyes of both Jane and Loki watching him as he ran across the open area and up the stairs into the compound.

“He went into the south tunnel.” Someone shouted, having caught sight of the unfamiliar man. Thor pressed on. If he came across anyone hostile, he had no hesitation to take them out. Not if it meant they were in his way. That’s why when the first man approached him with a weapon in hand, Thor took him down with relative ease, knocking the gun away and flipping him over.

Another man was on his back, making a grab for him, but all that he could get his hands on was the rain jacket. Thor slipped out catching the man’s kick before gripping the man, swinging him into the first agent, knocking them both down for good. He took off down the nearest hall, running past another metal stairway, running faster when he realized the men were climbing up to follow.

“Target sighted, east tunnel.” A voice called out, but Thor was well out of their sight, by the time they gave chase.

~~~~~

Coulson had come out of the trailer and to the tunnels, surveying the damage. The first two guards had already been pulled out by medical and another team was trying to patch the hole in the plastic. Coulson’s suit had gotten drenched in the rain and he was a little upset at being cold and wet on top of the fact that an intruder had made it inside. He already knew Rogers would be furious. Fury even more so.

“I need eyes up high, with a gun.” He called into the radio, trying to keep calm despite his frustrations.

~~~~~

Barton heard the call through Sitwell’s radio. Sitwell nodded to him and he stood up, glancing over at Stark who shrugged.

“I’m not going out in the rain to get my suit for one guy. All yours, bird brain.”

“You know what, Stark. One of these days that big mouth of yours is gonna get you punched in the teeth. I hope I’m there to watch.”

He made his way to the door when Stark called after him. “And why are you going to watch. Too scared I’ll sue.”

Barton smirked, looking over his shoulder. “No, you’re not worth the effort.”

He heard the stunned silence that followed his departure. Apparently Stark didn’t know what to say to that. Clint grabbed a jacket, walked out into the rain, and to the weapon’s vehicle. His hands tested the weight of a sniper rifle before he saw his weapon of choice hanging on the wall. Yeah, he was going to use that one. After all, it was embarrassing for the bad guys to admit they were taken out with a bow and an arrow.

Jogging back out into the rain. A small platform with railings had already been set up and an operator already sitting in a crane to lift it up. He chucked his bow onto the platform, jumping over the rails as it started to rise. Picking up the bow, he glanced around trying to see out into the rain. It hindered his senses, but Clint had been trained to see even in the worst conditions. It took a matter of moments before he saw the running shadow, a man with shoulder length hair. Smirking, he took aim, waiting for the instruction to let it loose.

~~~~~

Thor came to a dead end with the only way to go was down a stairs. He kicked the agents running to climb up to them, sending them all tumbling to the floor. One in back, didn’t go down and approached gun drawn. Thor kicked it out of the way and then kicked the man back before he heard more footsteps. Not waiting to engage the new enemies in favor of finding Mjolnir, he took off down a side hall taking out two more agents.

One went down quickly enough, but the other got back up. Grabbing a top support he swung his body, kicking the man thorough the flimsy material and out onto the wet sand and mud below. Again, he didn’t waste any time, knowing there were more right behind him. He had to find his prize and fast.

~~~~~

Coulson returned to the command center, greeted by a nervous Sitwell and the sight of a sulking Tony Stark. He’d have to ask about it later and instead nodded to Sitwell.

“What have we got?”

“There’s a massive electromagnetic surge coming off that thing.”

“The systems are barely coping.” Stark added, as he pushed a tech out of the way to type on the screen.

Coulson nodded stepping away. This wasn’t good. “Barton? Rogers? Someone talk to me.”

“You want me to slow him down, sir?” Barton asked. “Or are you sending in more guys for him to beat up?”

“Just one more.” Rogers came over the coms before his voice fizzled out. He didn’t sound pleased.

“I’ll let you know.” Coulson clarified to Barton, heading for the entryway that led from the trailer they were in to the tunnels. He had a feeling he knew where Rogers was headed if he wasn’t there already. There was only one thing their intruder could be after and Coulson needed to get there quickly to assess.

~~~~~

Thor rounded a corner when a shiny glint caught his attention. There in the center of a man made courtyard was his prize. Mjolnir was propped up on a pedestal of sand and dirt. His mouth broke out in a triumphant grin as he sauntered down the hall, overconfident in his success, only to be shoved backwards by a firm punch to the chest.

Thor fell back on the metal grating, struggling to get his bearings for a moment. Looking up, he could see a man dressed in blue pants and a gray shirt. His hair was short and blond, eyes a piercing and angry blue. On his back was a round disk, a shield of some sort. He was about Thor’s height and build, his eyes betraying someone much older than his youthful body suggested. Thor could see the lines of strain in this man’s face. This was a warrior who was older than he appeared and skilled. Still, there was no mortal alive that could contest Thor’s age and experience in battle.

He climbed to his feet, his grin back in place. This would be fun, a challenge to see who would prevail.

“You’re big.” He commented, pleased with his prospects before switching his tone to taunt. “Fought bigger.”

He swung, punching the man in the face. It was a glancing blow as the man punched him in the face as well. His other fist slammed into Thor’s stomach and Thor grabbed him by the arms. The two men tussled momentarily before falling through the plastic to the mud below. Both men were equally matched, so they were rolling in the softened dirt to get an advantage. Thor’s opponent managed to get him into a choke hold, before Thor elbowed him twice.

Steve felt the wind knocked out of his lungs at the force of the blow. He was getting rusty if someone of the same size could best him like this. The stranger was on top of him, hands closing in to choke him. Steve grabbed his shoulders, using a leg to launch the man over his head and back in the mud. Steve rolled, trying to get to his feet, but he was struggling for his breath, his legs shaky because he couldn’t focus.

Both men managed to get up to their feet. Steve went to grab the man only to see too late that the man was jumping, bringing both legs up to kick Steve in the chest. He flew back, sliding down the slope anger rising. Was this an agent of Hydra trained to take him out like the soldier he’d seen at the Expo?

Steve tried to get up again, only to feel the ridges of a boot kick the side of his face. He went down, face first in the mud. By the time he managed to roll over, the stranger wasn’t paying him any attention and instead was shakily walking back towards the compound...to the hammer.

 _Better call it, Coulson. Rogers is down and I’m starting to root for this guy._ Steve heard Barton say on the coms as he rolled to get back up. Since the stranger had pulled the plastic away, he could see the man had reached the hammer, coming to stand directly in front of it.

He pushed himself up, curious to see if this man could pull the Hammer from the ground. Steve hadn’t been able to do it, no one had, but Steve had a feeling if anyone could, it would probably be this man. Hydra agent or not, the man seemed hell bent on getting his hands on it.

Coulson stepped into the main courtyard, looking down at the man grinning triumphantly. He could see Barton high above the courtyard. He could also see Rogers, covered in mud leaning against a support beam in the rip at the far side. Barton pulled the string of the bow back farther, but didn’t let go, waiting for his orders.

 _Last chance, sir._ Barton warned.

“Wait. I want to see this.” Coulson said, catching Rogers gaze. The older agent nodded, pushing himself upright in case the man failed and decided to fight his way out of here.

Thor knew he had an audience. He could feel the eyes on him, but it didn’t matter. He had found Mjolnir. Surely now that he had it, he would regain favor in his father’s eyes and would be able to go far away from here. He would keep his promise to Jane, but he was determined to go back home. This realm was not for him.

With his triumphant grin, he reached out, hands wrapping around the leather bound handle. He moved to lift it, but it wouldn’t move. Frowning, he tried again, pulling harder. Wrapping his other hand around the handle, he pulled with all of his might, growling with the exertion it took. He tried over and over again, but the hammer would not lift from where it was embedded. It was as if it was too heavy for him.

It didn’t make any sense. Mjolnir was his weapon. A companion hand-picked and given to him by his father. That’s when everything clicked into place. The anger of his father, Loki’s angry biting words that now rang with sudden clarity and truth…Thor’s triumph turned into a swirl of emotions, anger taking root as he shouted, screamed his frustrations to the skies wanting to curse his father for taking everything from him. He wanted to know why he was denied this, as he dropped to his knees in defeat and surrender.

By the time the man was done screaming, agents surrounded the courtyard, guns drawn and aimed at their intruder. Seeing that there wasn’t anything else going on, Coulson brought his radio back up.

“All right, show’s over. Ground units, move in.”

Above them, Barton guided the string back into place, lowering the bow as he did so. Rogers stepped into the courtyard as the agents reached the man, pulling his arms behind him, encasing them in handcuffs. The intruder looked up once, met Steve’s gaze before falling back to look down at the dirt. He didn’t resist as the men pulled him to his feet and walked as they maneuvered him out of the open and into a makeshift prison.

Steve turned to go up the stairs, his body a little sore, but not enough that he wanted to look weak in front of the men. He walked up to Coulson as the man stepped out of the rain and into the covered hallway to watch the guards take the man around the corner.

“Barton said you were down. You all right?”

“Yeah. He really packs a wallop.” Steve said, shaking his head. He tried to make sense about what had just happened, but he came up blank. “What was that?”

“I don’t know. I’m having him taken to a cell. I’ll interrogate him.” Steve opened his mouth to argue. “You faced him, were defeated by him. You know that you have a bias against him right now. Go have medical look you over and then meet me in the command center. I don’t want you in the room, but I do want you on standby in case this guy gets hostile again. Think you can do that?”

Steve couldn’t help the smirk that crossed his face. “You’ve come a long way if you think you can boss me around.”

“Well, you are the protocol kinda guy. As long as I use logic, you usually listen. Besides, you’ve been in a bad mood for months now. Someone’s gotta think with their brains and not their emotions.”

Before Steve could respond, Coulson walked away turning to go down the tunnel. Steve shook his head and followed right behind. He hated to admit the man was right and he was just sore enough, he wanted to be sure he wasn’t injured too much. It still hurt to breathe from where the guy had elbowed him. Yes, he would go to medical and get checked out, then he would listen to Coulson try to get answers. Hopefully that meant that nothing else would happen to them tonight.

 

~~~~~

 

Outside in the dunes, Jane looked on, hearing the scream of pain and despair. The rain echoed around her as Loki rose to his feet. Glancing up at the younger man, she could see the pain on his face. She turned away, not sure she should have seen that.

It was in that moment that she knew Loki did care about his older brother. Despite everything that had happened, Loki was upset, sad to see his brother suffer so much. It put so much in perspective for her. They didn’t hate each other, but they were such opposites in how they thought and how they acted that they had trouble understanding each other…expressing what they thought and felt to each other. As she listened to the silence settle in, she looked back up at Loki, noticing the mask had slid back into place.

“We need to go.” She said, pulling the jacket tighter around her to keep the rain out of her face.

“There is one final thing I have to do first. Go and wait at your vehicle. I will not be far behind you.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I will not get caught, but I need to see if Thor has learned anything from this. Please go. You have my word that I will be there shortly.”

She wanted to argue, but she could see that he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Slowly, she nodded and started to make her way through the mud and the rain the fifteen minute walk back to the van.

Loki watched her go, waiting for her to be out of his line of sight before cloaking his body with his magic. It wouldn’t last long, but he need to go. He needed to be sure Thor was alright. Their reunion would not be a pleasant one, but he had to know. Making his way down the hill, he followed Thor’s path into the compound, hoping that his magic would last long enough for him to do what he intended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I wanted to apologize for disappearing for like a month after I said I was only going to be gone a week. I was dealing with some personal stuff as well as a bit of burn out from stuff going on at work. I've been exhausted lately and I've lacked the motivation to write. I started my 10 day vacation when I clocked out on Friday, so I'm hoping to get some much needed rest and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be able to get some writing done this week. Rest assured that I haven't given up on this story. When I recover I'd like to push myself to get this story done.
> 
> I hope you all stick with me. If you can, please leave comments and kudos. I love hearing from you guys, knowing when I'm doing great or if there's something I can improve on. Hopefully I will be back next week with another update! Thanks again for reading this and check out the links below!
> 
> Check out the cover for this story by the amazing RiceChex: http://ricechex.tumblr.com/post/123895491365
> 
> Follow me on Social Media:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here. I'm trying to get more active on this.): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Very active on this. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories by the links below or on my profile!
> 
> Hydra Verse Series  
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 9 Posted - 08/04/2015): http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag the interview of the century. The chance to ask Captain America about his past and what exactly made him the man he is today.
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014): http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829  
> One-shot stories in the realm of the Hydra Verse that don't fit in the regular stories of the series. (Descriptions in each chapter)
> 
> Other Stories  
> Do I Look Worried To You? (One Shot - 07/23/15): http://archiveofourown.org/works/4402937  
> Steve Rogers has been searching for his best friend for a long time, so when he gets that phone call, he can't resist going. What he finds, isn't what he expects.


	53. Operation Frustration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki goes to Thor to confront him about recent events. Meanwhile, S.H.I.E.L.D. and team Foster are trying to piece together the same puzzle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the wait on this. I explain a bit more below. Enjoy!

King Laufey sat upon his throne, looking at his people gathered in the courtyard below. They gathered together, covered in armor, waiting for their King’s demands. His scouts would return shortly from the gateway they had used to infiltrate Asgard several days before. The person on the other side who had showed them the way into Asgard was still unknown to them, but seeing as there wasn’t an army marching in on his people right now, he had to act quickly.

They would use this pathway to their advantage. He had promised the Allfather and his son war and death. The king sneered at the thought. He hadn’t lied when he had spoken to the Odinson. His father had slaughtered so many Jotuns and doomed them to this fate of wasting away in their own realm, making him a murderer in their eyes. As for being a thief, the Allfather and his men had not only taken the casket away from his people, but he had also stolen away Laufey’s youngest son from his hiding spot.

Laufey had sent the newborn child to the temple for safekeeping when the fighting had reached Jotunheim. The young prince’s guardians abandoned him there, presumed dead in the ensuing chaos, and yet the child had survived only to be stolen away, no doubt a prisoner and a bargaining chip on Asgard. The old king often wondered why Odin had not used the child against them, not that Laufey would bend for a child…no doubt a man now….that he barely knew, but the fact that the other king had kept quiet about it meant that he had plans for the stolen boy.

Laufey sneered. He shouldn’t care about the child lost, and really he didn’t, but he couldn’t help his curiosity. His thoughts had turned to the boy ever since they had discovered the way into Asgard. He had a suspicion that the boy might be responsible for showing them the way in.

The shouts from his men, announcing the arrival of the scout’s return, snapped him from his thoughts. He needed to focus, his men needing their leader and king for victory. Glancing out over the courtyard he saw that all the scouts had returned without any signs of seeing combat. Slowly, he grinned. The time for them to conquer the land of their enemies was about to begin.

~~~~~

Thor sat still in the seat, his mind still churning over what had just occurred. It wasn’t until the mortals had started to lead him away he’d seen it, the mark his father had left on Mjolnir. Obviously the man didn’t want him to be able to pick it up, but why? What did his father want to accomplish by keeping his powers and the hammer from him?

The men had brought him into this room, forcing him to sit in the chair before leaving him alone with his thoughts. No doubt this was some sort of interrogation tactic. Something to rattle him. Too bad for them, he was the son of Odin and would not yield so easily, not even in his grief and frustration over the loss of his weapon…and his powers.

He could feel their eyes on him, looking through the darkened glass. He couldn’t see them, only his reflection. Over the years, he’d grown accustomed to eyes on him, watching his every move. This would not unnerve him. Instead he kept his head bowed and relaxed his shoulders so that he wouldn’t feel the pressure of the flimsy shackles around his wrists. Even like this, he should be able to break them. Right now he wasn’t in the mood.

As he sat there, he began to feel a tingling feeling wash over him. He knew this feeling. Loki had been fighting by his side since they were children. Even though Thor had no desire to meddle in magic, after all this time he could always feel the power behind Loki’s spells. This felt like a concealment spell of some sort, though there was something different about it. Sure enough, Thor looked up to see blood red eyes look down at him.

He would never come to terms with how odd his brother looked, more so with the Midgardian garb. The blue and red were striking by themselves, but together it made it worse. Still Loki looked regal, arrogant in his power.

“Try not to move. I had to alter the spell so that they could still see an image of you, but I remain invisible to their eyes. You can talk, just try not to squirm.”

“Loki, quickly, get these shackles off of me.”

Loki’s eyes narrowed, flashed with a hint of anger. “No. I do not think I will.”

Thor’s jaw tightened. He should have seen this coming from Loki, but he’d not expected an outright refusal from the man. “Why not?”

“Because you do not learn. You never learn. Perhaps the next time I give you my opinion or advice, you will listen for once.”

Thor chuckled, unamused. “Good advice. You’re more likely to try and trick me. How many times did I listen to your words as a child and something good come from it? Being the eldest, I always took the blame for your trickery. I learned long ago not to fully trust you.”

“That was back when we were children. It was just a bit of fun. I’ve grown out of it.”

“Hah…you were playing tricks a few days ago, or did you not turn my wine into snakes. Always the trickster, causing chaos wherever you go.”

“And you are always the arrogant fool, thinking yourself infallible and unbeatable. Look where your might has gotten you.”

“Then why did you not try and stop me?”

“I believe I said it before you went in. You would not listen to me, not when your mind is so made up. Did you think it would be easy? Did you think that your father would not punish you for your actions on Jotunheim?”

“Our father.” Thor bit out. He was not pleased that Loki pointed all of this out to him. He knew all of this, but to have his younger brother, a Jotun, tell him all of this angered him.

“I already told you that he is not my father. He never was. The man lied to me, planned to use me as a puppet in his warmongering. I will not do that. As much as I loathe this form, I’d rather remain like this that be a fool.”

“Do not speak ill of your king.”

  
Loki shook his head. “This is getting us nowhere. I had some hope that you may have been humbled by your loss, yet here you sit as arrogant as ever. It hasn’t even occurred to you what Odin had in mind by sending us here.”

“You know why Father sent us here?”

Loki shrugged. “I do, though telling you will not do any good. You have to figure it all out on your own for this to work.”

“Tell me.” Thor demanded and Loki frowned.

“I have no intentions of doing so. For once, you will not get your way just because you demand it.”

“Tell me then, Loki, why did you come here? If it was not to help me escape, then why take the risk? You would not normally take such a risk unless it benefited you, so what have you gained from this?”

The questions caught the younger man off guard. He hadn’t expected Thor to ask about his intentions. Loki thought about his answers, how he wanted to phrase them.

“I wanted to see if this experience had changed you, to see if your defeat humbled you. I see now that it wasn’t worth the risk, that you have not changed at all. You are still the arrogant man you always were. Did you not see that I have been deliberately provoking you to see how you would respond? Of course you didn’t, you never do.”

“I know better. You twist and manipulate with your words. No doubt a trait of your Jotun blood.”

Every good intention Loki had in this conversation disappeared with the insult. Once again his endeavors were wasted on Thor and he was done, he’d had enough. As his anger flared the temperature of the room dropped dramatically. Thor tensed as soon as he felt it. There was a shout from the next room as ice began to form on the glass and metal. The sliding door shook as if someone tried to open it, but the ice had already sealed it shut, keeping everyone else out and trapping Thor inside.

“Loki, stop this.” Thor spoke in a low tone. “You are going to freeze everything if you keep this up.”

Either Loki didn’t hear him or chose to ignore him. Instead the man was looking down at his blue hand, the ice forming on his fingertips. Thor watched carefully, realizing too late that Loki was horrified by what was happening…horrified by what he was.

“Loki, breathe. You can stop this. Calm your mind and focus.”

Loki closed his eyes, his breathing still ragged. Shouting and loud noises could still be heard outside as the door shook. The ice still held it closed, though it appeared that it was no longer spreading. Loki’s eyes opened, his gaze calmer as a mask slid into place.

“I’m leaving. I do not know why I bothered coming here. You are incapable of seeing me as anything more than a monster.”

Thor sobered up, his anger bleeding away at that accusation. He had to say something, to deny Loki’s statement. “You are my brother.”

The admission was torn from him. He didn’t know why he provoked Loki all the time, how he could think the man a monster when they were raised together since they were children. They played together, fought together, got in trouble together…and yet he struggled to come to terms with the fact that the man he grew up with was always a Jotun. A Jotun who could turn him into an ice sculpture with the new powers he was displaying. The new look on Loki’s face spoke volumes, filled with anger and disgust.

“I am not your brother.” Loki hissed. “Or did you forget that my veins are filled with Jotun blood. They always have been, they always will be.”

Thor watched the anger leave Loki’s face. The man looked a bit more resigned to his fate and a bit defeated. With a wave of his hand, Loki started to disappear from his sight.

“Loki, wait.” Thor pleaded, but he was ignored. If Loki was still in the room, he didn’t respond nor did he reveal himself again. Thor wanted to scream his frustration and anger at the younger man, but the day’s events left him exhausted, his emotions overloaded. Loki was gone and Thor doubted he’d ever come back.

~~~~~

Loki hurried away from the cell where Thor was being kept. He couldn’t face the man any more right now. His head ached, emotions bled raw. The man felt like he was drowning and incapable of coming up for air. Subconsciously, he avoided the men as he walked invisibly through the man made mess that made up this structure. He didn’t have a real destination in mind, so he wondered.

Some of his senses returned when he stepped out in the middle of the compound. He placed his hands on the railing, looking down at the muddy ground below…and Mjolnir. The hammer wet with the rain, the symbol of Odin’s decree still barely visible on the side. Loki couldn’t help himself as he started to descend the stairs. He had to know, needed to know if he could lift the hammer.

Fingers slid over worn leather. His hand slid easily through the strap as his hand wrapped around the handle. He hesitated only a moment before he started to pull. Though he didn’t put as much effort into it, he knew when the symbol became more prominent and the hammer refused to budge that he’d never be able to lift it. He doubted he ever could.

Loki took a deep breath. He needed to get out of here, to clear his head and make a decision on what he wanted and needed to do. Right now Thor wouldn’t work with him, but despite how angry the two of them had been, Loki had seen a glimmer of a different Thor. Maybe this wasn’t so hopeless; however, he would let Thor stew in their argument for a little while. After all, Loki had some things to think about as well and they both had decisions to make.

It didn’t take as long for Loki to get out of the compound and cross the desert to where Jane still sat waiting for him. Her eyes scanning the horizon for a glimpse of them. She sat up straight, pushing the car door open when she saw Loki.

“I thought about leaving you behind. What took you so long?”

“I almost got caught by those idiots.” Loki lied. “I got in to see that fool. Seems he doesn’t want anyone’s help at the moment.”

“So you just left him there?” Jane sounded surprised, confused, and a little upset.

“Thor has chosen his own path. Far be it for us to try and help him only to be turned away.” When it looked like she was going to argue with him, he added. “If you are so consumed with helping him, we will need a plan and I need some rest. Let’s return to your home and figure things out there.”

That seemed to pacify her desire to do the heroic thing and save the big blond idiot. Loki needed time and he really did need a chance to rest. It was still early in the evening. They still had time to go back for Thor later.

~~~~~

“He committed a crime. He’s in jail!” Erik shouted at the trio in the room.

The male human glanced over at Loki. The blue skinned man sat in the corner. His eyes were closed though Erik was tell he was doing more sulking than resting. Erik knew something had happened with the man’s brother. Something that had angered the man, but at the same time, he seemed a little bit defeated by whatever had happened. The worst of it was the man’s foul mood and slowly growing temper that hung in the room heavy like a cloud.

“I can’t just leave him there!” Jane argued back.

“Why?” Erik insisted.                                                             

“You didn’t see what I saw!” Jane glanced back at Loki for a moment, but the man didn’t move or respond..

“Look! Look, it’s Myeu-muh.” Darcy said, getting their attention.

On the table in front of her was a book opened to a picture of a cartoonish looking hammer with lightning bolts coming from it. Jane flipped the page, skimming the contents.

“Where’d you find this?” She glanced up at Erik and then back down at the book. Jane also saw that curiosity had gotten the better of Loki, who finally reacted, coming to sit next to Darcy at the table.

“The children’s section. I just wanted to show you how silly his story was.” Erik had grabbed it on a whim when he finished up at the library. Initially that was what he wanted; however, now he saw how things had changed. It was making him very uneasy.

“But you’re the one who’s always pushing me to chase down every possibility, every alternative!”

“I’m talking about science, not magic!” Erik threw his hands up, frustrated. Darcy took off her glasses and glanced over at Loki who shook his head.

“Well, magic’s just science that we don’t understand yet. Arthur C. Clarke.”

“Who wrote science fiction…”

“A precursor to science fact!”

“In some cases, yeah.”

“Well, if there is an Einstein-Rosen Bridge, then there’s something on the other side. And advanced beings could have crossed it!”

“Jane!” Erik sounded a bit put out. His former student sounded so passionate about all of this that even he was having a hard time ignoring her pleas.

“A primitive culture like the Vikings might have worshipped them as deities.” Darcy pointed out.

“Yes! Yes, exactly. Thank you.” Jane sounded excited.

“Mmmm-hmmmm.” Darcy hummed as both women turned to look at the older man. Erik knew he couldn’t persuade them otherwise at this point. Taking a deep breath, he tried to say something, but the sight of a dark blue hand taking the book away from the woman made him pause.

Red eyes skimmed over the contents, deft fingers turned pages. Slowly an amused smirk crossed the man’s face.

“Mortals are so amusing if they think this is completely accurate. There’s so much more to these stories than you know.” Loki said.

“So does that mean Jane and I are right?” Darcy asked. “Are you some advanced being from some other world?”

“It would explain how you and your brother ended up in the desert. That storm had something to do with how you got here.” Jane sounded excited by the prospects in front of her.

Loki leaned back in his seat. He knew he held all the cards in regards to their answers. “As much as I do not want to do this, we need to release Thor from his captors. Perhaps, by now, he will have changed his mind about accepting help. Once he is released, I promise that he and I will provide the answers that you have been seeking.”

“Wait, I thought you were super pissed off at him.” Darcy pointed out. “Why would you want to save him?”

“Because I know that I cannot end this without him, as much as I may want to. I need him just as much as he needs me. The root of my frustrations come from convincing him to believe in those facts.”

Jane and Darcy exchanged a look. Erik took a deep breath, exhaling frustrated. It wasn’t any use. They were going to figure out a way to free the big blond idiot from his captors. They all knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but not, they didn’t have a choice.

“Then I guess we’re going to go get him. Since you’re the one leading this madness, Loki, do you have any ideas on how to get him out?”

Loki frowned. “It’s not going to be easy, but we have a few options.”

“No killing.” Jane insisted. “You know what, before we look into Loki’s options, let’s try a few of our own.”

“And what’s wrong with my options?” Loki sounded a bit miffed at being countered.

“You and your brother get into trouble, you’re mischievous and both of you are violent. Let’s leave that as a last option, especially since it wouldn’t be hard to try and fake some credentials and come up with a plausible excuse for him to storm the compound.”

Loki and Erik shared a look of disbelief. The plan seemed too simple for it to really work in their favor. Jane looked between the two of them and back to Darcy. “What?”

“It’s a weak plan. If this organization had the power to come in and legally take your research, then they certainly have the resources to detect a fake identity. In addition to that, Thor needs to know about his alias, otherwise the plan will fall apart.”

“I think he’s smart enough to figure out some things and wing it.” Erik and Loki just continued to look at her skeptically. “We’ve got to at least try.”

“Jane, it’s a rough plan.” Erik sided with Loki. The woman just gave the men a pathetic look and Loki took a deep breath.

“Fine.” He said. “Should this fail, I will do whatever is necessary to free him. You should know my intentions since you will be implicated should I need to resort to these measures.”

“I’ll worry about it if it comes to that. Just promise me that you’ll only use it as a last ditch effort. You don’t seem like the kind of guy who really cares about the consequences of your actions, but we did stick our necks out there to help you and your brother. It would be nice if you repaid us somehow.”

Loki allowed his lips to curl mischievously. “I’ll consider it.”

Erik threw his hands up in the air as Darcy moved to the nearest computer. They had a lot of work to do if they were going to get their man out tonight.

~~~~~

“So you don’t think the big blond guy actually turned the room into a mini ice rink?”

Steve looked over at Tony over his tablet while the inventor finished wrapping his ribs. After washing off all of the mud, Steve could clearly see a large bruise forming on his side. Their prisoner had done a number on him cracking two of his ribs and leaving plenty of dark colored bruises covering his body.

“I don’t know. For all we know, the equipment Sitwell brought in to cool this place down was faulty. Until we know for sure, I’m not going to speculate on anything.”

Tony gave him a strange look. “Really. You’re not going to ‘speculate on anything.’ Steve, you’ve dealt with stranger things than a room turning to ice. The Tesseract, Mr. Red Skeleton, being injected with some super-secret serum that makes you strong and practically unaged…”

“Your point?”

“I know you have an opinion on this.”

Steve exhaled slowly. Tony’s constant persistence could get annoying, but Steve refused to let it affect him. He needed a clear head to watch Coulson’s interrogation.

“Even if I had an opinion, Tony, it’s not going to do us any good without solid proof. I’m not saying that I think that he’s capable of creating ice, but if he legitimately can, how do we get him to show us. That’s what that big brain of yours should be trying to figure out for us.”

“Seriously, that’s what you got for me.”

Steve opened his mouth to answer, but stopped at the knock on the door. Coulson stood in the doorway. He didn’t look too happy, but Steve knew it was more a look of concern.

“Am I interrupting?”

“Just Colonel Rogers being the biggest stick in the mud of all time.” Tony taunted as he secured the bandages. “I’m going to go mess with Sitwell, or try again and see if I can dig up any info on my new blue friend. Have fun you two. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Coulson waited for Tony to leave the room before speaking. “Got the doctor’s report. She wrote that you got pretty banged up.”

“I’m always getting banged up.” Steve slid off the exam bed and set his tablet aside to reach for his shirt. “I haven’t been this hurt in a while though.”

“Are you still up for this? No one will blame you if you decide to get out and take it easy for a few days.”

Steve shook his head, wincing as it jarred his bruised cheek. “I’m not that kinda guy. You should know that by now. Were you able to find out anything on our prisoner?”

“Well, we weren’t able to get close enough for fingerprints, but his DNA isn’t in the system and nothing’s coming up on our facial recognition software. Right now he’s a nobody, best ghost I’ve ever seen.”

Steve made a face, clearly unhappy with the news. “I don’t like this, Phil. First, that man we encountered at Dr. Foster’s lab that Tony can’t find any information on and now it’s the same with this guy. We may not have the resources that Hydra has, but we’ve never been unable to find out information.”

“I agree the whole thing stinks of a conspiracy, and I already know what you’re thinking. I don’t think these two are Hydra ghosts.”

“You sound so sure.” Steve’s tone sounded defeated. The two of them started down the hallway towards their makeshift prison area.

“In the history of my time in S.H.I.E.L.D., I’ve never know any Hydra agent to act like this. Usually they gloat about what they accomplished before getting caught or the weak ones still commit suicide. The blue man acted in self-defense, but otherwise didn’t engage our men.”

“This one did.” Steve pointed out.

“True, but he’s single minded and came in with a purpose. It’s clear he was after the hammer. The question is why?”

“Did you get the information from that professor about the markings?”

“Yeah, Professor Randolph said that they look like they’re of Norwegian and Celtic origins, but he can’t decipher them…said the text was an ancient dialect no longer used.”

“So basically another dead end.”

“This is, but we’ve got another angle to explore now. Him.” Coulson nodded to the prisoner as they stepped into the area where they could see him. The blond man was sitting very still in his chair, head turned down, hair hiding his face.

“You sure you’re up for this? I can still do this.”

“I’ve got it. I still think your anger at getting your ass kicked is going to make you biased.” When Steve glared at him, he smirked. “At least you have to admit that your judgment will be a little bit clouded, Steve. Seriously, I’ve got this.”

Taking a deep breath, Steve nodded. “If he decides to try anything…”

“I’ve got my taser.” Steve glared at him again and Coulson sighed softly. “I will get out of there or I’ll call for backup. You’ll be standing outside anyway, so even if I advise against it you’ll come charging in.”

“Damn right.” Steve muttered.

Coulson nodded and walked over to the door, opening it and stepping inside the cell. The man sat up a little straighter in the chair though he continued to look away, staring straight ahead at the wall behind Coulson. As he came to stand just in front of their prisoner, keeping a safe distance, he noticed just how relaxed the man was. This was not a man who feared them, but instead he was calm with a mask slid firmly over his face to hide his emotions.”

“I’m Agent Phil Coulson with S.H.I.E.L.D. Do you want to tell me who you are before we begin?”

The man glanced up at him silently. He clearly wasn’t very impressed with Coulson or with his situation. Not getting any sort of response, Coulson cleared his throat and tried to think of his next move. If being civil wouldn’t work, maybe he would poke the bear, see what reactions came from it.

“You made my men, some of the most highly trained professionals in the world, look like a bunch of minimum-wage mall cops. That’s hurtful. In my experience, it take someone who’s received similar training to do what you did to them. Why don’t you tell me where you received your training?”

Coulson paused for a moment to give the man time to respond. The man blinked a couple of times, but kept up the stoic façade. Maybe if prompted he would let something slip.

“Pakistan? Chechnya? Afghanistan? No, you strike me more as the soldier of fortune type. Where was it? South Africa?”

The man was no longer looking ahead, but instead off to the side. The blue eyes held steady, the muscles of his face unmoving.

“Certain groups, like Hydra, pay very well for a good mercenary like you. Who are you?”

This time the man did look at him. His face still didn’t betray any emotion and the look didn’t give Coulson any new information. This was new for the head field agent. He’d never experienced anyone so calm in the face of interrogation. The man wasn’t even sweating.

“One way of another, we find out what we need to know. We’re good at that.”

Just then, his cell phone sounded in his pocket. He glanced down at it briefly, seeing it was a small alert from the next room before slipping it back into his pocket.

“Don’t go anywhere.” Coulson ordered, though he knew the man probably wouldn’t do anything in his absence. He stepped back out into the control room.

Thor watched him go, happy to be left alone again. In the time since Loki left until his brief encounter with this man, he’d had plenty of time to think. He needed to make some tough decisions and he couldn’t ignore them any longer.

He had decided that his bond with Loki was too strong for him to see the man as anything else but his brother. Loki was obviously haunted by his newly found Jotun heritage and their father was exceptionally cruel to expose it like he did, just as he was cruel enough to put the hammer in his reach and leave him unable to lift it. If he got the chance, he would apologize to Loki for his behavior, for the taunting and biting remarks, though he didn’t see that chance happening any time soon. He also didn’t see Loki forgiving him so easily, but he would do his best to get back into the younger man’s good graces.

Loki was a formidable man to all who knew him. Though Thor didn’t understand his need to lie and cheat and trick, he knew Loki was a brilliant tactician and well versed in the ways of politics. Even with his magic to make things easier for him, Loki could fight as well as any other warrior, even if such a thing wasn’t recognized by the other Aesir. Thor respected the man for these abilities, even though he’d never acted like he did. Loki being by his side had always been a given for him, until now.

Thor may have been ignorant about a lot of things, it was more a lack of interest than knowledge. Still, Loki seemed to have a greater grasp on what they were to accomplish here, what it would take for them to return home. If he could escape from these people, he might be able to get back to his brother and they work together to figure all of this out.

~~~~~

“Sir, we’ve got a vehicle approaching.” Sitwell spoke as Coulson shut the door behind him. Rogers stood behind Sitwell looking at the monitors, his frown still a permanent fixture on his face.

“It’s Dr. Foster’s vehicle. I recognize it from our sweep of her lab.” Steve commented, glancing up at Coulson. “Why do I have a bad feeling about this whole thing?”

“You’re not alone. I can’t get a read on that guy. He’s practically a statue or at least an unmovable brick wall. He moves his head and his eyes, but other than that he’s unfazed by anything I throw at him. He didn’t even flinch or grin when I mention Hydra, if you hadn’t noticed.”

“I noticed. I was watching the whole time and that’s not what I was talking about. I feel like we’ve got a bunch of jumbled puzzle pieces, and we’ve started to assemble the puzzle only to find out that there are pieces missing, pieces that weren’t in the box to begin with.”

“I hate that.” Coulson nodded. “And I agree on your analogy. We’re missing something, something big, but unless our friend starts talking or we get another clue, we’re stuck with an unfinished picture.”

“You have to keep trying. Sitwell and I will meet Dr. Foster and anyone else who came with her. If anything, she may have a few answers for us.”

“Copy that. Just promise me if she brought that Loki guy with her you’re not going to go at it against him.”

“I make no promises.”

Coulson shook his head. “If you don’t I’ll put it in my report to the Director.”

Steve gave him a look that said, ‘does it look like I care about that man’ and Coulson smiled. Some things never changed. Rogers and Fury didn’t get along and they could care less if someone threatened to snitch on them to the other. They were two men of command, too proud to let the other one have full authority over them.

Coulson went back inside the cell as Steve stepped out to greet the van as it pulled up. Sitwell stood up on the platform behind a tech who was still trying to find information on the prisoner. The computer made a pinging sound and a driver’s license popped up on the screen. Steve caught the name Donald Blake and frowned. He doubted that was the man’s name. It sounded wrong for him.

“Check to see if it’s a fake.” Rogers hissed as the van doors opened to reveal Dr. Selvig and a still blue Loki. Steve crossed his arms when he realized Dr. Foster wasn’t with them. He didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Stepping down the stairs, Steve blocked the way into the main compound.

“Dr. Selvig.” Steve nodded to the scientist before glancing at the other man. “And I was told your name was Loki.”

“Indeed.” Loki held his head high, eyes narrowing under Steve’s scrutiny. The soldier noticed that the man was mostly covered with only his face and hands visible. “We’ve come to retrieve my foolish older brother. I believe you have a Donald Blake in your custody.”

~~~~~

Sitwell stepped into the cell to get Coulson. He half listened to the conversation between Rogers and the two visitors. Coulson should know that they came for the man in their custody.

“Sir, he’s got visitors.”

Coulson nodded to Sitwell, excusing himself to go out and join Rogers. He could hear Dr. Selvig speaking, trying to explain.

“His name is Donald Blake?” Coulson cut in as he noticed the name on the computer screen. The scan continued to look for anything else on this guy.

“Dr. Donald Blake.” Selvig clarified.

“You have dangerous coworkers, Dr. Selvig.” Coulson pointed out, glancing over at Steve who stayed silent, keeping his eyes fixed on Loki. Loki stared back.

“He was distraught when he found out that you’ve taken all our research. That was years of his life, gone!” The computer beeped causing Coulson to glance over at it. “You can understand how a man could go off like that. A big, faceless organization like yours coming in with their jackbooted thugs and…”

Coulson and Rogers both looked to glare at the scientist. He gaped for a moment, swallowing hard. “That’s how he put it.”

“That still doesn’t explain how he managed to tear through our security, including one of the most experienced fighters in the United States history.”

“Steroids!” The man got a little excited, holding his hands out in exasperation. “He’s a bit of a fitness nut.”

“My brother has a violent temper.” Loki added, his tone smooth with a hint of disappointment laced in it. Steve’s eyes narrowed and Coulson got the impression the man was putting on a show. “He arrived at the lab after Darcy and I had already left for rehearsal. It took some time for Dr. Foster to come for us after he left in a rage. If you are amendable to releasing him into our custody, I’ll personally guarantee you will not have any more trouble with him.”

Coulson thought about his options at the moment. The computer made another noise and the tech got his attention. The security alert, lit up in a bright red banner, showed that the driver’s license data had been falsified. No doubt these two were in on this, but he would still play along, see if they would slip up.

“It says here that he’s an M.D.”

“Well, he is! Or he was. He switched careers and became a physicist. A brilliant physicist. He’s a wonderful man. He’s a man in pain.”

Coulson and Rogers shared a look. Then Coulson looked over at Sitwell. It seemed like he would be the one to make the call, though obviously, none of them believed the story. Still, Coulson admired Selvig’s tenacity and Loki’s loyalty to his brother.

“All right. Come with me.”

Selvig glanced back at Loki who nodded. “You better go and get him. I may just strangle him at this point.”

Coulson waited for the scientist to follow him into the compound to the cell. The door opened and Selvig sauntered into the room.

“Oh…Donny, Donny, Donny!” Thor looked up at him. “There you are. You’re gonna be all right. I’m taking you home now.”

He helped the blond up out of his seat, escorting him out of the compound. Thor stopped when he saw Loki. They stared each other down for a moment, both keeping silent, not knowing what to say to one another after their argument earlier. They needed to talk, but this was not the time or place.

The duo descended the stairs and headed towards where Loki waited by the van. Thor looked away, noticing some of Jane’s things on a table under a tent. The agents’ backs were turned away, so he reached out, snatching the notebook sitting on top. He’d seen her looking at this book constantly, so it must be important to her. He could at least return something to her as he promised.

“Dr. Selvig.” Coulson’s voice rang out across the courtyard bringing the men to a stop. Thor thought that perhaps he’d been seen taking the notebook and tightened his grip. “Just keep him away from the bars.”

“I will.” Erik shouted back as they stepped forward. Thor glanced back, noticing the man stood in the doorway. Erik noticed that Rogers wasn’t in sight and he glanced around to make sure the man wasn’t hiding in the shadows. They seemed to be in the clear.

“Where are we going?” Thor asked as they stepped towards the van. Loki had already climbed into the front passenger side, a small smirk gracing his features. Erik walked around the passenger side before answering.

“To get a drink.”

Coulson watched as the men disappeared into the van. He glanced down at a few of the junior agents. “Follow them.”

They casually walked away, climbing into one of the SUVs. Coulson watched as the van pulled out of sight followed by the SUV.

“If you didn’t believe their story, why did you let him go?”

Coulson glanced back to where Steve leaned against a support beam. The men hadn’t seen him as they passed, but after a word with Loki, Steve had stepped back inside and out of view to watch. The man pushed off the surface and stepped out to stand next to Coulson.

“We weren’t getting anywhere. We needed a different approach.”

“If this ends badly…”

“…I’ll deal with it. It wouldn’t be the first time the director chewed me out for a screw up. I doubt it will be the last time.” Coulson paused. “I know after I left, you said something to his so called brother.”

“I told him to stay away from Tony.” Steve answered dryly.

“I take it from your tone he didn’t take that well.”

“He thought it was funny and told me he had ‘no interest’ in Tony and that I should mind my own business.”

Coulson looked over at him. “Well, that solved that. Now if our agents get something for us, we may actually get somewhere. I don’t think they’re going to get anything tonight. Go get some rest. We might need you tomorrow.”

Steve opened his mouth to argue, but shut it abruptly, exhaling. This wasn’t worth arguing about and the other man was right.

Coulson was surprised when he took another deep breath and spoke. “All right. Fine, but if anything major happens, I want to know about it. If you see Tony, tell him to get some sleep. We might need him tomorrow too.”

“Sure.” Coulson answered, watching Steve disappear out of sight. He turned back to the monitor with the image of the fake driver’s license on it. He needed to go find some coffee and give orders to his men tailing their people of interest. Glancing up at the night sky, he took a moment to collect himself. This was going to be another long one.

~~~~~

Night had fallen over Asgard. Queen Frigga felt restless as she stepped out onto the balcony. The air felt too thick and tense. Nothing felt right this evening, even as the city appeared quiet. Maybe it was the fact that it seemed too quiet and the last round of guards were late in giving their report.

That was when she heard it, the sound of quick footsteps running down the hall. She turned, stepping into the room as the doors swung open and a guard rushed in.

“Queen Frigga, we’re under attack!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it really has been a while. I didn't realized it had been so long. Again, I'm so sorry about the wait on this, life happened and I was going through some depression and serious writer's block. That being said, I'm not completely happy with this chapter. This chapter and the next are both fillers of sorts. I really struggled with that aspect of them, which was part of the reason it took so long. 
> 
> I am working on this again for NaNoWriMo this year, so I'm going to try to get back on track. Chapter 54 went to my awesome beta yesterday and I'll probably get it up as soon as she gets it back to me to try and compensate for the delay. Working on chapter 55 now and I'm hoping to put my update schedule back on Sunday. Anyway, I'm rambling again, but I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> Check out the cover for this story by the amazing RiceChex: http://ricechex.tumblr.com/post/123895491365
> 
> Follow me on Social Media:  
> Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel: http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/  
> Writing Tumblr (I post previews of stuff here. I'm trying to get more active on this.): http://silverciels.tumblr.com/  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Very active on this. Follow #HydraVerse): SilverCiels  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): @SilverCiels
> 
> Check out my other stories by the links below or on my profile!
> 
> Hydra Verse Series  
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 9 Posted - 08/04/2015): http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag the interview of the century. The chance to ask Captain America about his past and what exactly made him the man he is today.
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014): http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829  
> One-shot stories in the realm of the Hydra Verse that don't fit in the regular stories of the series. (Descriptions in each chapter)
> 
> Other Stories  
> Do I Look Worried To You? (One Shot - 07/23/15): http://archiveofourown.org/works/4402937  
> Steve Rogers has been searching for his best friend for a long time, so when he gets that phone call, he can't resist going. What he finds, isn't what he expects.


	54. Secrets and Allies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor and Loki are making friends and trying to figure out where they fit in on this realm.

“Wait, wait, wait…tall, blue, handsome, and I can’t find him on any search engine Loki was here and nobody told me?”

Tony was loud. Loud enough to startle a few drifting techs into being fully awake in a matter of seconds. Sitwell sat back in his chair, forcing himself not to choke on the coffee that he had swallowed just as Tony said the words.

“Colonel Rogers asked that we not tell you he was here, but I thought that you deserved to know. I don’t know why you find him so interesting.”

“Because he’s a mystery. Seriously, baldy, I can’t find a damn thing out about him. It’s like he magically appeared out of thin air. There’s no birth certificate, no driver’s license, and even facial recognition can’t figure out who he is. I even put in all that work to change the skin color back to normal and take away all the decorations. I should have asked him what color his eyes naturally were.”

“Stark, stop rambling. It’s too late for that.” Coulson berated the billionaire as he walked into the area. “Agent Sitwell, you were ordered not to tell him anything.”

“We don’t know anything about these two. If Stark has an in with one of them, it would be easier to get information, find out who they are and where they come from.”

“I doubt that they’re an actual threat to us.” Tony threw the thought out there. Maybe if he could talk some sense into Coulson, he’d have a way to get to Loki. “They’re both dangerous, but after we captured the blond brother, he didn’t resist. The dark haired brother only acted out of self-defense when we raided Foster’s lab. I don’t believe the story they gave you, so you have a right to follow them, but we need another approach to get in.”

“And you’re saying you’re that approach.” Coulson stared down the other man, not intimidated in the least.

“I think they know what that thing is in there. They know what it does and why it’s here.” Tony pointed towards the center of the compound. “The big guy seemed to think he had some claim to it, that’s why he broke in, but nothing is adding up. You’re not going to get him to spill the beans just by having a couple of agents keep tabs on them. You let me go in, get close to Loki, get him talking and maybe I can find out something, anything to get us on the right track.”

“You’re a civilian, a consultant, and not very loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D. Why should we trust you with this?” Sitwell asked.

Tony walked over, leaned down, and gripped the sides of his chair. “I have an interest in him and from what I saw, he was curious about me too. If Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes had stopped yelling, I’d probably be enjoying Loki’s company right now.”

Sitwell swallowed. “Uh…I thought you were straight. Don’t you have a girlfriend? Ms. Potts?”

Tony laughed and backed off. At least Sitwell had picked up on what he meant with that last bit. “Pepper’s mad at me right now for running off to New Mexico and leaving her to clean up the mess from the Expo, and it’s not really anyone’s business, so I don’t throw it out there, but I’m bi. Just because I swing more towards women than men, doesn’t mean I haven’t had a few in my bed.”

Sitwell flushed, shifting uncomfortably. Coulson managed to keep his composure and cleared his throat. “That was too much information, Mr. Stark. Against my better judgement, I am going to trust you with this mission. I do think you interested this man, Loki, and you might be able to get us what we need from him. You do know that I can’t send you in with a weapon or your suit. Your only backup will be those agents tailing his brother.”

“Basically, you’re saying I’m on my own on this and if I screw up, I’m very dead.”

Coulson paused, tilting his head in thought. “Basically. Yeah.”

Tony thought about his options for a moment. On the one hand he could potentially get hurt in all of this, but on the other hand, he could potentially score some alone time with Loki and get the information that they needed. It would be helpful. All in all, a win-win.

“Great, I’ll do it.”

~~~~~

Thor remained silent the entire drive back into town. He didn’t know what to say, where to even begin. Loki sat in the back of the van, looking out the window at the desert landscape almost mindlessly. Erik could feel the awkward tension in the air between the two men. It felt so stifling that he almost rolled down the window of the van to clear his head.

The little bar wasn’t too far from the lab. Erik parked the van and the three of them exited making their way to the establishment. A few of the drunken regulars made snide remarks at Loki’s appearance, questioning if Halloween had come early. Loki, for his part, kept his head held high and ignored them.

They took a seat at the bar as Erik ordered the three of them beers. He felt a little nervous when the men sat on either side of him. Then again, it probably was for the best seeing that it would be a little bit more difficult for the men to go after each other.

The awkward silence continued as they sipped at their beers. Erik waited for the tension to break, knowing it would come sooner or later. It didn’t happen until the beers were almost gone.

“You know, I had it all backwards.” Thor spoke for the first time since the compound in the desert. “I had it all wrong.”

Loki went still at the words, hands curling around the beer bottle as he looked down at the wooden bar in front of him. Erik noticed, but chose not to comment on it. Instead, he focused on Thor.

“It’s not a bad thing, finding out that you don’t have all the answers. You start asking the right questions.”

Though he addressed Thor, he intended for his words to reach both men. They needed to come to an understanding of some sort. Loki had mentioned that he needed to work with his brother, but that would never happen until they stopped their petty battle.

“For the first time in my life, I have no idea what I’m supposed to do.”

Erik nodded. “Anyone who’s ever going to find his way in this world has to start by admitting he doesn’t know where the hell he is.”

“Thank you for what you’ve done.”

“Don’t thank me, thank your brother.” He jerked his head at Loki. “It was his idea and besides, I only did it for Jane.” Thor and Loki seemed a bit shocked by his words, so he continued to talk to give them time to digest them. “Her father and I taught at university together. He was a good man. He never listened.”

“Neither did I.” Thor added.

“Nor I.” Loki spoke quietly, causing both men to look at him, but he didn’t elaborate.

“Our father was trying to teach us something, but I was too stupid to see it. I was stubborn, arrogant, and I hurt the people who matter the most to me with my actions.”

Erik took a deep breath. He could hear the truth in Thor’s words and he had heard the same in Loki’s earlier. Still, he struggled with the fact that all of this could be real. It was too strange, too far out there to be real.

“I don’t know if you’re both delusional or if you’re pulling some kind of con, I don’t care. I just care about her.” Erik was done with all the trickery and the theatrics of all of this. He wanted some honesty from these men and the last thing he wanted was Jane getting hurt. “I’ve seen the way she looks at you and I’ve seen how she defends you. She barely knows you and she seems to already trust you.”

He directed his first comment towards Thor and the second towards Loki. Erik knew he’d never survive if things got physical with one, or God forbid, both men, but he had enough courage to put the words out there and hope they would be heard and taken to heart.

“I swear to you, I mean her no harm.” Thor admitted. He looked confused, as if he didn’t understand why Erik would say such things.

“She has been extremely kind to me. Far kinder than I deserve.” Loki cut in. “Because of that, I have no ill intentions toward her either.”

“Good. In that case, I’ll buy you another round, and you leave town tonight.”

He stared down Thor and the man nodded. Loki tilted his head and despite the lack of a yes or a no from the man, Erik knew that he would eventually follow Thor. He’d made it clear before that he needed the other man, even if Thor drove him up a wall. Erik gestured to the bartender.

“Three boilermakers.”

Three large glasses were set in front of the men followed by three shots. Erik poured the shots into the larger glasses, handing his current company their mugs before taking hold of his own. He and Thor touched glasses before they began to drink.

It became obvious that Thor and Loki both knew how to drink. Erik watched with great annoyance as both men began to chug their boilermakers without so much as a pause. A seasoned drinker in his own right, Erik refused to back down from the challenge, fighting to keep up with them men. He watched as both men smirked around their glasses as they accepted the challenge in front of them.

Several hours later found all three men walking down the street. Thor and Loki were barely tipsy, although they were a little happy high from the atmosphere and the lingering camaraderie of their new mortal friend. Erik on the other hand was sloshed, enough so that he would regret it in the morning.

Loki walked ahead a bit, slightly less drunk than the other two, while Thor and Erik began to sing. The mortal stumbled, slumping against the nearest car and to the ground. He laughed at his clumsiness while Thor offered to help him up.

Thor ended up carrying the man the extra feet to the lab. Erik kept muttering something about a trailer and Loki knew what the man was talking about. They made their way toward the trailer at the back of the property, knocking on the door.

Inside, Jane was trying to read, but couldn’t concentrate. She hadn’t heard from Erik since he’d texted her that he and Loki had managed to get Thor out of that compound. The knocking startled her and she scrambled to get to her feet. Flinging the door open, she saw Thor beaming up at her, Erik draped over his shoulder.

“Oh, my God. Is he okay?”

Thor chuckled. “He’s fine. Not injured at all.” As the blond man said this, stepping through the narrow doorway, he turned, smacking Erik’s head against some paneling. The man made a sound and Thor chuckled again in slight amusement. “I’m sorry, my friend.”

“What happened?” Jane demanded trying to get around Thor to check on Erik.

“We drank, we fought, he made his ancestors proud.” Thor gestured wildly, his tone filled with amusement and enthusiasm. Jane look past Thor to Loki who stood at the bottom of the stairs.

“If you must know, your mentor brought this on himself. He is the one who suggested going to drink. I do not think he counted on us being able to hold our drink.” Loki clarified a bit. Jane gave him a funny look and he supposed it had to do with him being a little out of character. He only continued to smirk as he moved away from the entrance and out of sight. She sighed and pointed to the side.

“Oh, put him on the bed.”

Thor carried Erik over, adjusting the man to stand upright for a moment. Erik smiled loopily before falling back against the mattress with a groan. The two man shared more laughter as Erik rolled to face the blond.

“I still don’t think you’re the God of Thunder.” Erik muttered. “But you ought to be.”

The man reached up and awkwardly patted Thor’s face. Jane turned away a bit embarrassed by the display. Erik finally let go of Thor and the bigger man stepped away to allow Erik to rest. Thor glanced around the small space and smiled. “Are these your chambers?”

“Ah,” Jane smiled. “It’s more of a temporary living situation. Oh, I’m sorry. I don’t usually have guests.”

She made a quick grab for a few things, a dirty bowl… a box of cereal. She opened another cabinet and shoved the items inside. “Actually, I never have guests.”

She scratched the back of her head and laughed. She realized in an instant what she had done and turned around to hide her bumbling move. “That’s not the right place for it. I’m sorry.”

Yanking the bowl and spoon out of the cabinet and into the sink. To make it worse she dropped the spoon and yanked a towel over to cover the sink. “Um, can we go outside?”

“Yes, of course.” Thor smiled at her, amused by her antics a bit. Jane was an interesting mortal and he didn’t mind spending time with her. They stepped down and out of the trailer, startled by Loki leaning against the outer wall of the trailer. He glanced at them as they exited, eyes locking with Thor’s for a moment.

“Loki, I would like to talk to you in the morning. Talk when we’re well rested and clear headed.”

Loki gave him a once over before nodding. “As long as you don’t cause any more trouble for me tonight.”

He pushed off the wall and started to make his way towards the main building. Thor hesitated for a moment, before stepping forward to take hold of Loki’s arm. Loki spun, eyes bordering on murderous when Thor cut him off. “Thank you, brother.”

Loki went still again, and Thor let him go, managing to give the man a small smile before Loki looked away, his jaw clenching. Loki didn’t say anything as he stormed off towards the lab. Thor watched him go, his emotions a little sapped for the day.

~~~~~

Loki didn’t stop until he made it back to the room he’d been sleeping in. Darcy glanced up from the screen of her cell phone started by the abrupt entry. She’d been sitting on the bed, her back propped up against the wall, legs dangling off. Her face twisted a bit in amusement before she spoke.

“So I take it the big blond guy isn’t with you?”

“Why would you say that?” Loki snapped back, a little annoyed that she was here. He didn’t need anyone to see him like this right now.

“Well, you look kinda upset, so one of two things happened. You didn’t get him out and Erik got captured…please say he didn’t get captured, for Jane’s sake.”

“Selvig is fine.” Loki told her, prompting her to continue. He didn’t understand all this loyalty to Jane Foster, but he wasn’t in the mood to deal with it either.

“Great, I mean that’s good. Uh…well then you guys must have got him back and you two had another argument.”

“We did not argue. Actually, Thor thanked me for getting him out of that place.” Loki’s tone was filled with bitter resentment, laced with a hint of anger. He didn’t know what to think of Thor’s gracious platitude. It was weak and useless sentiment, one that Loki did not want at all.

“Well if he said, ‘thanks’ then why are you so upset?”

“Thor never thanks me for anything. He always accuses me of having other motives behind my actions, mocks me in front of his friends.”

“And you don’t know how to deal with him thanking you. It’s too…weird.” Darcy shrugged as she slid to the edge of the bed.

Loki walked over and sat down next to her. He felt on edge for some reason, jittery. He didn’t know where his anger came from. He’d finally gotten what he always wanted from Thor…an acknowledgement for something he’d done. Why wasn’t he happy about it?

“Hey, Loki, did you hear me? You can talk to me, you know. It’s not like I’m going to go and blab to anyone anything you say to me in here.” Darcy prompted as she looked over at him.

“I do not know how to accept his thanks and now that I have it, I do not know what to do. It does not solve our main problem and I doubt it will solve our smaller problems.”

“But it’s a start, isn’t it?” Darcy pointed out. “Look, you’ve been trying so hard to get him to acknowledge you, but it’s not like you can snap your fingers and things will change overnight. You both have issues you need to work on, separate and together. You can’t just snap your fingers and change all of that in a day or because you want to.”

Of course, Loki knew all of this already, but by speaking it, Darcy had pushed it to the forefront of his mind. He took a deep breath, covering his eyes with his hand. This mortal woman, a mere girl in his eyes, had pointed out exactly what he needed to hear right now. He’d been so wrapped up in himself, in his fear of what he was and what others saw in him that he had forgotten the big picture. Loki had let his anger and disgust rule him and that had to stop if he was going to move forward.

He could not blame Thor for all of his problems, nor could he expect a shift in their relationship to fix all the problems with it. It was not only his problem, but he had to put the effort forward and have a little faith that Thor would do the same.

“How is it you are so much younger than me and still wise enough to say what I needed to hear?” Loki asked out loud.

Darcy grinned. “I’m sort of awesome like that. Besides, every brilliant person needs a younger wingman, well wingwoman in my case, but whatever.”

Loki began to laugh, letting the lingering anger fade away. This girl certainly amused him. She had a way of putting things that helped to ease his mind. There was still work to be done and Loki still felt a little restless, but at least he felt better about the situation.

“So…” Darcy began. “Does this make us friends?”

Loki didn’t know what to say to that at first. He hadn’t had any real friends before. He’d had his lovers and then there was also Thor’s friends, but they were Thor’s friends and not his. They trusted him less than Thor did, though it was not undeserved. He’d done some terrible pranks in the past. Still, he could use a friend and this didn’t seem as hard as he would have thought it would be.

“I suppose. I’ve never really had any friends.” He shrugged, unsure of how she would take that.

“Yeah, we’re friends. I’m not going to leave you friendless, even if you are a tall, blue wierdo. Someone’s gotta poke you in the ribs and tease you or make you laugh when you feel like crap.”

“Thank you, Darcy.” Loki’s lips curled a bit. His mood was no longer sour, but he still had a lot to think about. Now that he was clearheaded, maybe he could strategize a bit more, though he still had no idea how far he had to work with Thor for them to be allowed to go home.

“Yeah, well since you’re such in a good mood, I kinda want to sleep in my own bed tonight, so…” She hesitated, looking sheepishly at Loki.

“Actually, I need some time to think. I believe I’m going to risk this late hour to walk around and try and figure out a plan.”

“You’re trying to go home, right?”

“Indeed.” Loki said. “And to do that, I need to figure out what Odin had planned for us when he sent us here and how much penance we will have to pay to return.”

“Oh.” Darcy commented softly. She didn’t know what to say to that, but she thought she’d try. They were friends now after all. “Well, if you need anything, I don’t know what kind of help I’ll be, but I can try.”

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t want you to get into any trouble on my account.” Loki’s tone shifted to something a little more lighthearted and genuine. It took a moment for Darcy to realize he was teasing her. She smirked and gave him a smack to the arm, wincing as her hand became numb and Loki didn’t even flinch. Instead, he pushed off the bed, not wanting to get into another discussion from her, especially about his differences. That was one topic that had more questions than answers and he was already at his limit with it for the day.

“If Thor asks, tell him I will be back in a few hours. I’d rather not return to find I have to track him down because he came to find me and I was missing.”

“Sure thing. You should come back a little early and try to get some sleep. The couch isn’t the greatest, but it’s a bed.”

“I’ll consider it. Thor will be easier to deal with after I’ve rested, but I can function on less sleep than mortals can.”

“You’re going to tell me everything eventually, right?” Darcy hinted and they grew quiet. Loki did owe her a more thorough explanation, but not now…not yet.

“In time, I swear I will give you a full explanation about all of this. Right now, I have more questions than answers, so until I’ve explored every avenue and gotten every explanation I can, it will have to wait.”

“Fine. I won’t forget that you promised. Stay safe out there, Lokes.”

“I will, Darcy. I will.”

~~~~~

Thor followed Jane up to the roof of the building. There were a couple of chairs and a fire pit up on the roof. Thor helped Jane to build a fire to combat the chilly night air. They sat side by side on the edge of the lounges, keeping close to the fire to stay warm.

“I come up here sometimes when I can’t sleep, or I’m trying to reconcile particle data, or when Darcy’s driving me crazy.” Jane glanced at him before looking up at the stars. “I come up here a lot, actually, now that I think about it.”

Thor was watching her. She was beautiful and so very kind even though she was rambling. He didn’t know how to express his gratitude and he also wanted to apologize for his failure.

“I’m really glad you’re safe.” Jane said looking into his eyes.

“You’ve been very kind to me, I…and I’ve been far less grateful than you deserve.” Thor started out with.

“Well, I hit you with my car a couple of times, so I think that kind of evens things out.” Jane said as she giggled. Thor laughed, grateful that she wasn’t offended by his actions.

“Perhaps I had it coming.” He said before he began to shift through his clothing. Up until that point, he had forgotten about the notebook he’d stolen back from those men. Jane watched as he pulled it out of his shirt, holding it out to her.

“Oh, my God!” She sounded shocked and a bit in awe as she took the notebook from him. “I don’t believe it!”

“It was all I could get back. I’m sorry it’s not as much as I promised.” He sounded truly sorry that he couldn’t bring back more.

“No, no, this is great! This is…I don’t have to start from scratch now. Thank you.” Jane began to flip through the pages, familiarizing herself with the contents as though it was some long lost friend. She truly thought all of her research was gone, but Thor had given her hope again with this gift. She paused to look down at the material, her anger resurfacing a bit from earlier.

“What’s wrong?” Thor asked when he saw her expression.

“S.H.I.E.L.D., whatever they are, They’re gonna do everything in their power to make sure this research never sees the light of day.” She sounded defeated.

“No, Jane. Listen to me. You must not give up. You must finish what you’ve started.”

“Why?” She looked sad and lost. Thor didn’t like it.

“Because you’re right.” He reached over to the notebook and flipped a page. He’d gotten a look at it earlier in the van on the way back from the compound. He found the page where she had drawn nine planets between the two pages. He took her pen and began to show her while he spoke. “Here, look. Your ancestors called it magic, and you call it science. Well, I come from a place where they’re one and the same thing.”

Thor looked up at her and smiled. Her answering smile was tentative, but at least she didn’t look like she was miserable before. He had so much to show her, to tell her. It was time for him to make good on their bargain.

Thor began to draw a makeshift tree to match her own drawings. He needed to tell her about the realms. He could feel her eyes on him as he worked, but he didn’t let it distract him.

“What is that?” She asked him, not completely clear on what he was doing.

“My father explained it to me like this, that your world is one of the Nine Realms of the Cosmos, linked to each other by the branches of Yggdrasil, the Worlds Tree. Now you see it every day without realizing. The images glimpsed through…What did you call it? This…This Hooble Telescope.”

She laughed at his mispronunciation, her bright smile returning. “Hubble.”

“Hubble Telescope.” Thor corrected himself with a grin and a nod.

“Tell me more.” Jane prompted. She wanted to know it all, everything he had to tell her.

“Now the Nine Realms. Now, there is Midgard, which is Earth. This is Alfheim. Vanaheim. Jotunheim. Muspelheim. Nilfheim. Svartalfheim. Helheim. And Asgard, that’s where I come from.”

Thor continued to talk about Asgard and what he knew of the other realms until gradually Jane shifted to lay down. She was so tired that as Thor continued to talk, she fell asleep. When he realized that she was sleeping, Thor stopped and instead leaned back on the lounge to look up at the moon and the sky. Occasionally, he would look over at her. When she shifted in sleep, he reached over and pulled the sleeping bag she had pulled out, up over her frame.

“Thank you, Jane.” Thor spoke, knowing he wouldn’t be heard. He was simply content that she had listened to him, had given him a place in her home. He didn’t know how long it would last, but unless he and Loki figured this mystery out and could return home, it didn’t look like it would be any time soon. Instead Thor leaned back on the lounge and watched the fire. He knew he couldn’t sleep, so he was in for a long night.

~~~~~

Loki stepped back out into the night. He could see the movement up on the roof, No doubt Thor was up there with Dr. Foster talking. Shaking his head at the thought, he gathered his borrowed jacket around him, sliding the hood up around his face. It was still a little unnerving being out in the open with his face like this, but he had his excuse if anyone asked about his strange appearance. He would be all right.

The streets were empty at this hour. A few patrons stumbled out of the bar as he passed. He breathed out in relief as the men didn’t say anything when they passed. Loki still struggled with his appearance being so different. It was just one of many things he had to come to terms with to move forward. Problem, it was something easier said than done.

He ducked around a corner, trying to think about his options. The SUV and the man sitting in the back of it caught his attention. Loki looked up to see one of the men that had raided the lab earlier in the day, the one who had talked to him just before S.H.I.E.L.D. had moved out. If he remembered correctly, the man’s name was Tony, or at least that was what was shouted out the window of the vehicle before the man had given in and left with his comrades.

“Well if it isn’t Mr. bad and blue. Fancy meeting you out here.” The man smirked a little arrogantly. Loki blinked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. He didn’t know this man, but at least he found some interest. It was curious that this mortal would come back, knowing and interested in what Loki was capable of.

“It is rather late. I am surprised to see you out here.”

“Yeah, well, I’m a bit of an insomniac and way too dedicated to my work. My workshop’s in Malibu though, so I thought I would come out and get a few drinks, find someone to keep me company tonight. Got the drinks, but still haven’t found someone to keep me company.” The man raised a glass up from behind him and shook it, letting the ice clink against the sides of the container. It was dark, but Loki could see the amber liquor swirling inside due to the street light. “Care to join me?”

Loki glanced over at the man curiously, studying the man’s features while he simultaneously debated his offer. He was shorter and slimmer than most men he was used to. Most Asgardians were large in height and physicality, so to see someone closer to Loki’s own physique was a little strange, but not unwelcoming. The man had short dark hair and a goatee. Loki knew from his appearance that he was not young for a mortal, but he was still incredibly young to Loki. Still he seemed healthy and physically fit considering his status as a mortal man.

The mortal smirked, bringing the glass to his lips and swallowing. “Like something you see?”

Loki scoffed. “No, I’m simply curious as to what you’re really doing out here. I was at that compound earlier and I know from the reaction my brother and I received your men were much too busy to be out here drinking in the middle of town.”

Tony put the glass down next to him, turning back to look at Loki. “Technically I’m only a consultant for S.H.I.E.L.D., but you got me. There are a few things I could be helping them with, but I decided to blow them off and come find you. Our conversation got cut off earlier and since Steve’s been irritable enough to go to bed early tonight, I figured I could come find you and finish our conversation.”

It was blatant flirting on Tony’s part and Loki was a little intrigued by the man. He wasn’t used to such a forward manner when it came to flirting. The handful of lovers Loki had in the past tried to be more subtle in their pursuit due to Loki’s status and his penchant for troublemaking. Loki knew the forwardness came because they didn’t know each other very well. Still, the decision was in Loki’s hands.

“I’ve already had a few drinks tonight. As much as I appreciate the offer, I do have matters to attend to.” Loki said, trying to be diplomatic about the whole thing. He didn’t need to cause any trouble right now and he did eventually want to talk to this mortal, find out what made him tick.

“Come on. What’s such a big deal that it can’t wait until tomorrow?” Tony pushed. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to avoid me.”

Loki watched the man get to his feet. He looked steady on his feet though it was obvious that the man was a little bit tipsy. Clearly he had been waiting out here, looking for Loki to make an appearance, but the reason behind that was unknown. Loki thought about that for a moment, wondering what the man was really doing here.

“Come on, let’s both blow off responsibility for one night. Let’s be reckless for once and do something crazy.”

The smirk crossed Loki’s face in a flash. This mortal didn’t know him very well. He wasn’t one for reckless or crazy, but he could use a good excuse to put off all the things he was supposed to be thinking about at the moment. It wasn’t as though he couldn’t hold his liquor. He’d been celebrating in grand style since he was a youth and Midgardian alcohol was so much weaker than Asgardian mead. Besides, this would be the perfect excuse to find out what the man was really doing here and what his organization was up to.

“Well, when you put it that way, how can I refuse?”

Tony smirked, holding up another glass and grabbing the liquor bottle from behind him. He poured the drink, handing it to Loki before patting the seat spot next to him.

“Best to sit down. Don’t want us to get arrested for being drunk in public or having an open container.”

“Living a bit on the dangerous side tonight, are we?” Loki teased. Midgardians had strange laws if they could get arrested for drinking in public. It was common enough of Asgard to drink in the streets, so Loki didn’t see why they would get in trouble, but he wouldn’t question that right now. He had other concerns.

Tony smiled as Loki came to sit down next to him. The man grabbed his own glass and tapped it against Loki’s before downing the reminder of his glass.

“So be honest with me, was that big guy we had in custody earlier really your brother?” Loki glanced over to him and Tony shrugged. “Even with all the makeup and stuff you two don’t look anything alike or act alike. In fact the only thing you two seem to have in common is your ability to do some serious damage to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s security detail.”

Loki took a sip. He debated admitting the truth. Tony was a stranger and telling him a little wouldn’t hurt. “We aren’t related by blood. I was taken in by his family when I was a child, so we were raised as siblings.”

He kept it simple enough. Tony nodded thoughtfully as he poured himself another drink. “I’m surprised you actually told me that.”

“Is it so surprising that I would tell a complete stranger a simple fact about my life? It is not as though I gave you some juicy secret that you can take back to your organization.”

“Touché.” Tony lifted his glass. “And while we’re on the subject, I’m Tony, Tony Stark.”

“My name is Loki.” Loki answered automatically.

“Just Loki? No last name.”

“For now. Let me say that it is complicated and leave it at that.” Hopefully the curious man would leave it alone for now. That wasn’t something he needed to know. He didn’t feel like a Laufeyson, but he most definitely wasn’t an Odinson at this point. He was bitter about the whole thing and even if he reconciled with Thor, he may never with Odin.

He could feel the other man’s eyes on him, studying him, trying to figure him out even as he drank from his glass again.

“So,” Loki turned to look at him. “Do you want to tell me why you are actually here? I know it’s more than your curiosity that has brought you here.”

Tony smirked. “Why do you think that?”

“I’m one of those people who knows well what goes on behind a well-organized front. No doubt the organization you work for, this S.H.I.E.L.D. sent you to talk to me due to your interest. They felt you would have a better chance to…” Loki paused to think about his word choice. “…persuade me to give you more information about myself or my brother. And before you ask, your initial question gave you away.”

Tony had to hand it to Loki. The man was crafty, cunning, probably more so than anyone Tony had ever met. Tony knew how to turn on the charisma and the charm to get what he wanted, but this guy saw right through all of that. It only intrigued Tony more.

“I’m not going to lie. They did send me out here to see what I could find out. You and your friends weren’t very good at that alias for your brother, by the way.” Loki smirked at that. He knew it hadn’t worked from their reactions. “I managed to persuade them to let me come based on that, but that’s their motives, not mine. Trust me, I wouldn’t be willing to face Steve’s wrath just because S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted information.”

“Ah, the short haired blond man with the permanent scowl on his face?” Loki asked.

“That would be the one.” Tony tossed back the rest of his second glass.

“He warned me to stay away from you earlier…when we went to the compound in the desert to retrieve my brother he told me to keep my distance from you.”

“And you’re not listening to him.” Tony sounded surprised, but stated it as a fact and not a question.

“I do not do well when given boundaries, rules to follow. I tend to bend or flat out break them, so when someone tells me not to do something, naturally I’m tempted to do it just to see the reaction or just to see if I can.”

“I knew there was something I liked about you.” Tony chuckled. “I’m the same way and I always get yelled at for doing the same thing, mostly by Steve. Actually, always by Steve, but I put up with it. He’s family, I have to.”

“I see no reason that you would be obligated to ‘put up with’ anything your family says or does to you.”

Tony looked at him confused for a moment, before shrugging. “It’s just what you do when you care about someone. You put up with them fussing over you and giving you a hard time for the stupid stuff you do.”

Loki listened to what the mortal had to say. He didn’t understand it this man’s way of thinking. He couldn’t understand how the man couldn’t be offended at others, especially family, to have such a lack of faith in their abilities. This way of thinking made him angry, especially when he was chastised by either Thor or Odin. The only person he allowed to worry over him was Frigga and she rarely did that, knowing that he was more than capable of taking care of himself.

“I get the feeling I made you angry. My mouth tends to get me into trouble sometimes.” Tony shrugged. “Though I’m not sure why you’re so angry.”

“It’s nothing.” Loki said, before he amended it. “Just a few unpleasant memories. My family, if you can call them that, are not what I thought they were.”

“I hear you on that. I think we all have shit in our past that’s unpleasant and everyone’s got their own secrets. That’s being said, I’m not the best person to talk about it, so let’s get off the heavy subjects and do some more drinking.” He poured himself a third glass and topped off Loki’s drink.

“So, Loki, what brought you to this quaint little hole in the desert?” Tony asked sarcastically, his tone a little

“I didn’t exactly have an option on where I ended up. I was sent here by my brother’s father to accomplish a task. Unfortunately, we cannot return until we figure out what that task is and accomplish it.”

“Wait, figure out? You don’t know what you’re supposed to be doing? How are you supposed to figure it out?”

“I have figured it out. He wants my brother and I to work together, to get over our petty differences and prejudices against each other. He wants us to work together.” Loki’s anger rose as he spoke to the point where he was spitting out the words violently as his grip tightened on the glass in his hands. He heard the creaking of the fragile material and took a few deep breaths. He managed to calm down enough and relax his grip on the glass. The mortal surprised him by remaining silent the entire fit. “Unfortunately, my brother and I have to overcome our own personal issues in order to be able to work together. While my brother is working on his issues, I have been ignoring most of my own issues.”

He didn’t know why he had admitted that to this man. He wasn’t even sure he could look at the man. Instead he continued to look down at the glass in his hands, watching the ripples fade into a smooth surface once again.

“I think we all have our own issues, with ourselves and our families, no need to get all angry about it.” Tony responded nonchalantly. “Besides, why can’t you two just go back and tell your old man what you think about this whole plan. It’s not like he can keep you two from going back to your home country. Where are you from again by the way?”

Loki couldn’t help the small curve of his lips at Tony’s ‘old man’ comment. He seriously doubted the mortal could comprehend just how old Odin actually was. Loki took another sip of his drink to regain his mask, debating if he should really give away his secrets to this man. The rebellious part of him wanted to just tell him to get it off of his chest. It’s not like the man could go blabbing to anyone. No one would believe such a wild story, especially when it sounds like one from childhood fairy tale books.

“Where we are from is a place called Asgard. I doubt you have heard of it and it is so unlikely that you will able get the chance to go there. Very few outsiders are permitted to go to that realm. As for why we cannot return, Odin is the king of Asgard. Unless he summons for us, it is impossible for us to return and anyone who tries to help us return before our tasks are fulfilled will be treated as traitors to the kingdom.”

It was a heavy thing to say. Loki knew that if they could, Thor’s friends would come for him. They would drag him back and celebrate his return. Loki on the other hand would not be so lucky. He did not have any true friends, nor did he have anyone he could trust except his mother. She would fight for him, but if Odin continued to decree him as banished, not even she had the power to return him to Asgard.

“Wow, he sounds like a real asshole. Your dad and mine would have been the best of friends.” Tony said in that same sarcastic tone. Loki glared at him for referring to Odin as his father before he realized that the man would think that way. Even if Odin wasn’t his real father, the man raised him as a son. He bit back the bitter memories of their confrontation and turned away. “And you’re right. I’ve never heard of Asgard. I’ll make sure to look it up when I get back to base. Sounds kinda awesome though.”

The man polished off his third drink; he was starting to get a little tipsy. His words weren’t completely articulate, but they were surprisingly not that bad. It was equally shocking just how drunk Midgardians could get on these types of weak alcoholic beverages when he wasn’t even affected. Humans were such fragile creatures.

“Actually, before we do anything else and before I lose what little concentration I have left, let’s pull in here and shut the door, so that if we get too tipsy, we won’t get arrested.” Tony got up on his knees, pushing the seats behind them down to a flat surface. He climbed up on the raised platform it made and flopped down. Loki had to turn, folding his knees and placing his feet in the spot Tony was sitting before the man reached around him to grab one of the doors to pull it closed before gesturing for Loki to do the same.

“So, I get the feeling you don’t want to talk about you and you definitely don’t want to talk about your brother, so why don’t you tell me about Asgard, or some of the other places you visited.”

Loki turned to glance at him. In his inebriated state, the mortal was bouncing from random subject to subject just to keep him talking. It was helping to distract him a bit from those bitter emotions and memories that clung to the surface. Because of that, Loki decided to tell him about Asgard.

“Asgard is quite a regal sight, actually. It is a realm of eternal summer, a city of gold and of beauty….”

Loki continued to talk and Tony watched him and listened. When he ran out of things to talk about Asgard, the man moved on to a place he had traveled. He didn’t tell Tony what this place was called, but Loki was slowly casting an unintentional spell on Tony. The man could listen to Loki talk all day long and not get bored with the man’s voice. Tony continued to drink and occasionally asked a few questions.

Loki seemed to be in a much better mood once he started to talk. He allowed Tony to fill his drink up a few more times. It didn’t take a lot more before the man was slowly drifting off into sleep by the sound of Loki’s voice.

Once Loki noticed the man had fallen asleep, he stopped talking about his last trip to Alfheim. He watched the relaxed look on the man’s face and the steady rise and fall of the man’s chest. For the first time in a very long time, someone was relaxed enough around him to drop their guard enough to even attempt to sleep peacefully around him. It felt so strange, but a good kind of strange. He felt very peaceful and despite the cramped quarters of the back of the vehicle, he figured out a way to lay down. Slowly, Loki drifted off to sleep as well, watching the other man sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, I'm back this week. I know I said it last week that I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, but it's growing on me. I love the relationships between Loki and Darcy...and Loki and Tony. I know it's a little slow right now, but combat is coming and we'll be speeding up.
> 
> I just sent chapter 55 to beta and I'm almost done chapter 56, so I at least have some stuff for the next couple of weeks, so I am back on track for updating on Sundays like I want. Yay! I'm starting to get my motivation back and I hope you guys stick with me and I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Please let me know what you think. Leave me comments, questions, and kudos. Thanks!
> 
> Check out the cover for this story by the amazing RiceChex: http://ricechex.tumblr.com/post/123895491365
> 
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> Check out my other stories by the links below or on my profile!
> 
> Hydra Verse Series  
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 9 Posted - 08/04/2015): http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag the interview of the century. The chance to ask Captain America about his past and what exactly made him the man he is today.
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014): http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829  
> One-shot stories in the realm of the Hydra Verse that don't fit in the regular stories of the series. (Descriptions in each chapter)
> 
> Other Stories  
> Do I Look Worried To You? (One Shot - 07/23/15): http://archiveofourown.org/works/4402937  
> Steve Rogers has been searching for his best friend for a long time, so when he gets that phone call, he can't resist going. What he finds, isn't what he expects.


	55. When Shit Starts To Hit The Fan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laufey's conquest of Asgard is almost assured, but there are a few loose ends to tie up. Meanwhile, the warriors of Asgard are making their own move and S.H.I.E.L.D. is trying to keep up.

Laufey looked out over the throne room, disgust clear across his face. He was sorely disappointed that the battle had been too easy. The Allfather had not come to the aid of his people and the handful of guards was pitiful compared to what the Jotun king had planned for. The servants hadn’t resisted and his men continued to sweep the palace looking for the Asgardian King.

The head of his guard approached him now, carrying Odin’s prized weapon. The spear gleamed in the muted light of the palace. Laufey sneered a bit as he looked at the weapon.

“This was all that we could find.” The guard’s voice rumbled low and thick as he spoke, handing the spear over to his King. “It seems as though the Allfather escaped.”

“I always knew that man was a coward.” Laufey turned away. To think about how much they had lost thanks to Odin, it embarrassed him. The other man didn’t deserve to be called a King. Laufey turned, eyeing Odin’s throne. Wordlessly, he walked over to the throne, running his fingers over the fine workmanship.

Despite the sourness of the victory, he could not deny that he truly wanted this. For so long, his goals aligned with his need for vengeance. Now the throne of Asgard stood in front of him and all he had to do was to reach out and take it, declare himself the new King of this realm and begin his hunt to find Odin.

He hesitated for only a moment, before turning to face the room. Many of his men gathered around him, looking to him to declare their victory. Despite his reservations, he wouldn’t deprive them of this. Slowly, he sank down on the throne as his men cheered on in triumph. Laufey held up his hand to silence his men.

“We have taken the palace. I sit upon his throne; however, we have not completely won. I will not rest until I kill the Allfather and his sons with my bare hands. We must find them and end their lives to secure our victory.”

His men cheered again. They were loyal to him and tired of the lives they’d been forced to lead since their defeat so long ago. For the first time that day, Laufey allowed a smirk to creep up across his face. His men, his people…they were the reason he did this. He would restore Jotunheim to its former glory and secure the future for his people.

~~~~~

Frigga stepped out from where she stood hidden. She held up a hand as she glanced around before gesturing to the group behind her. Quickly, the small group, carrying their charge, came out of the shadows heading for the entrance of a nearby cave.

“I can’t say I like this.” Fandral spoke the moment they stepped into the cave.

The rest of the party hissed for him to be quiet. Once Lady Frigga entered the cave, they knew that they were safe for now. She had already told them she would hide the entrance behind her. With a wave of her hand the entrance of the cave disappeared from sight, hidden from either side.

“We will only be safe here for a short while. My spells can only hold them off for so long.” She spoke as she came further into the cave, kneeling down by her husband’s side. Odin, still deep in sleep, was pale and eerily still.

“I still don’t like this. The castle is overrun, the Jotuns are heading into the city and here we are hiding like a bunch of frightened children.”

“Getting the Allfather to safety was a higher priority. No doubt Laufey is out for blood.” Sif spoke up.

“Besides, if our trip to Jotunheim showed us anything, we’re severely outmatched. If it were not for Thor or Odin coming to save us, we would have never made it out of Jotunheim alive.” Volstagg pointed out grimly.

“We must go. We must find Thor.” Hogun spoke out loud. “And Loki.”

Fandral shook his head while Sif glared at him. “Thor could help us drive the Jotuns back, and Loki, for all his failings, is a brilliant strategist. We need their strengths to save this realm from the Jotuns.” Hogun continued to explain. “We need them both, working with us to bring this to an end.”

“If we go, we will be leaving the Allfather and our queen defenseless.” Volstagg spoke up, creating a valid argument for them to stay.

“No matter the odds, Thor would go. If we were in his place, he would come for us. For now, they are safe. We will have to find them quickly and return before Laufey’s men have a chance to find us.” Sif argued back, knowing it would be the one thing to get them to go.

The room grew quiet. None of the other guards that had accompanied them out of the palace said a word. It only took a moment for Frigga to stand up and face the four warriors. “Yes, Hogun is right. All of you must go to Midgard and bring my sons home.”

“But how?” Volstagg asked. “Heimdall got frozen protecting the Bifrost and there are no other concrete ways out of Asgard.”

“There are always the secret paths.” Frigga murmured. “Guards, remain here and try to remain quiet. If it should come to combat, guard your king with your lives. You four, follow me.”

She began to head towards the back of the cave, using her own sorcery to create a light source. Sif and the Warriors Three followed her back through the caves twists and turns until they reached a wider spot. Frigga held out her hand and closed her eyes as though she was searching for something. A small smile crossed her face.

“Yes, it is here. I chose this cave to hide in because it was the one rumored to have the secret pathway to Midgard. Whether the four of you realized it or not, I was going to send you after Thor and Loki. It is time for my sons to return home and prove themselves to their father and their people.”

“We do not have any magic origins, my Queen.” Fandral pointed out. “Are we certain we can even walk on these pathways?”

“I will hold it open for you. All the four of you will have to do is run as fast as you can to the other side. There are two downsides to this, as I can only keep the pathway open for a few minutes, so you must be swift. Also, I cannot guarantee that I will have the strength to bring you back here. You will have to use Loki’s magic to ensure your return. I know you do not trust him, but this is the only way. I am counting on you; all of Asgard is counting on you. You cannot fail.”

She knew she was putting a lot of pressure on the four of these warriors, but they had proved themselves time and time again fighting alongside her sons in many battles. They could do this, but she wanted them to know just how high the stakes were so that they could focus and get this done as quickly as possible.

There was a small silence as she turned to face them. One by one the warriors brought their arms across their chests in a loyal salute, nodding an affirmation that they would take on this dangerous task.

“Very well, since you have accepted this mission, I leave our fate in your hands. I need only a moment to open the portal. At my word all of you run. Just remember that the fate of us all now rests on the success of this mission and on those two wayward sons of mine. I have faith in you all.”

Spinning back around she summoned as much of her strength as was safe. Holding out a hand, she focused on opening the pathway to the other realm. As soon as she felt the pathway complete, she shouted one word. “Now!”

All four warriors took off at their top speed, disappearing with a flash of light into the pathway. The Queen could no longer see them, but she could feel them as they went through the portal. It would be close as she held on as long as she could. As she felt the pathway close to her she swayed, leaning against the stone wall of the cave, and silently wished them good luck.

~~~~~

Steve Rogers usually tried to treat each new day as a chance to start over again. Sometimes he could do it, and other times the day started off bad and just went to worse. Today was turning out to be one of those days. He had been dreaming of his past and it had actually been a good memory. He wasn’t even sure that it was real, but it came from the time before he had the serum. He was curled up on the couch, talking to Bucky. Bucky had just returned home from work and they were simply talking about Bucky’s day….

…then Steve woke up.

Finding out that it was only a dream set his mood for the day. The shower was cold, breakfast was lacking, and they had run out of coffee. Then he found out that Tony wasn’t anywhere in the compound. The fact that he had to find that out from one of the junior agents on staff instead of hearing it from the men who allowed him to go out, made it even worse.

“Coulson!” He called out when he stepped into the same room as the man. Coulson turned, saw the expression on Steve’s face before holding up both hands trying to placate the larger man.

“Before you start swinging, maybe you should tell me why you’re about to punch me.”

“I’m not about to punch you. What makes you think I’m going to punch you?”

“I’ve seen that expression before, Steve. It usually ends with you swinging and someone going through a wall.” When Steve raised an eyebrow, confused, Coulson continued. “It’s a rare thing, I’ll give you that, but the last time I saw it was when you had a run in with John Garrett at the Triskelion and if Fury hadn’t stepped in, I’m pretty sure there would be a permanent indention of his face in the closest metal panel.”

Steve couldn’t help the small curve of his lips. “Garret deserves something for not being able to shut his mouth, but I wouldn’t punch him for that either. I’m actually good at keeping my fists in check when I’m angry. Besides, why would I punish our own agents when I’d rather use that anger on Hydra’s?”

“Good point. Still doesn’t answer my original question.”

“Tony.” Steve said one word and watched the change in expression on Coulson’s face.

“I take it you know he’s not here.”

“And I know you approved it and where he went.” Steve folded his arms across his chest to keep the temptation of trying to break something a little less tempting.

“Relax, Steve. I know you didn’t want him to get close to Loki, but we’re running out of options here. Besides, you know as well as I do Tony Stark makes a point to break any rule set in front of him. Didn’t he get in trouble in high school for trying to break into the Nexus on a dare just to prove that he could? Did you really think you were going to be able to stop him from going?”

Steve took a couple of calming breaths. He knew Coulson had a point and no one needed to remind him about his reckless, adult, pain in the ass family member. Steve knew all too well what Tony was capable of, but he also knew that because of that behavior, Tony was the ultimate magnet for trouble.

“You’re right, he did break into the Nexus and then he hacked a Hydra secure server and I’m not sure exactly what he did, but he kept snickering about it for weeks. You’re also right that we’re never going to stop him from doing what he wants.” He admitted to Coulson. “You know that, and I know that, but it’s not like I can help worrying about him, even after everything we’ve gone through the last couple of years and even before that.”

“He’s family. I get that too and you should be a little pleased that the agents in town I sent to watch over Dr. Foster’s lab have been keeping tabs on him too. He spent the night in one of our SUVs and it has a GPS locater inside.”

Coulson handed over a transceiver for the GPS signal. Steve could see it was stationary somewhere in the town to the east of them.

“Are they sure he’s inside?”

“They took turns keeping watch and I sent a replacement this morning. Said he spent the night drinking scotch and talking to our target before he was smart enough to shut the doors to keep from getting arrested. Neither he or Loki left the SUV all night.”

“I still need to see that he’s all right, Phil.” It sounded a little irrational to an outside party, but sometimes, the fear of losing someone else because he wasn’t there to stop it, overwhelmed him. It was another thing that Coulson had seen before and he understood enough to be able to react when Steve got like this.

“I know.” Coulson nodded towards the man, dangling a set of keys in his hands “That’s why I arranged for an SUV to be ready and waiting for you to head into town to check on him.”

Coulson tossed the keys to Steve. Steve caught them with ease before glancing up at his head agent and friend. “I’m taking my shield and minimum protective gear. I got a bad feeling about today.”

“What makes you say that?” Coulson looked confused.

“I had a good dream last night. That’s always a good sign that something bad is going to happen.” Steve said as he stepped out of the room. He was going to go find Tony and hopefully it was before shit hit the fan. Knowing his luck, that wasn’t going to happen.

Coulson watched him go with a mixture of curiosity and concern. He wasn’t going to question Steve right now, not when he was like this. Instead, he shook his head in exasperation and went back to what he was doing. After a few minutes his phone pinged, signaling he got an alert from the main control room, and he felt a small shaking under his feet like a small time tremor from an earthquake. It stopped almost immediately, allowing him to move freely.

He wasn’t that far from the room, so he just decided to go and find out what was going on. As he stepped into the room, he could see the flurry of agents moving about. Sitwell was typing something on the computer in front of him, eyes studying the screen intently. Coulson could hear the sounds of the monitors going off.

“What the hell was that?” He asked openly to the room, wanting to know what they knew.

“I don’t know, sir.” One of the secondary agents responded immediately. “We got massive energy readings out of nowhere and then they just disappeared. Fifteen miles due northwest.”

That was close enough they could travel out and be there in a few minutes. He glanced at Sitwell’s screen, not seeing anything of note there before heading out to the other SUVs that were on standby. Steve was already gone, the dust kicked up from his SUV still floating in the desert air. Clearly he had grabbed his equipment and taken off if he was already in the distance. “Let’s go take a look.”

The team of agents followed him without question. Sitwell also climbed from his seat to follow. Seeing as Tony and Steve had the SUVs their only option was to take the cars. The team on duty piled into the vehicles, heading off to investigate this phenomenon.

Before Coulson stepped into the vehicle, he remembered Steve’s words from earlier. He wasn’t trying to be paranoid at all, but now he was beginning to have a small belief that something might be coming their way and it wouldn’t be very pleasant. He hoped that he was very, very wrong, but at least with Steve’s warning, he would be alert and aware of what was going on. Finally stepping in the vehicle, he gave the order to move out. They would face this, whatever this was.

~~~~~

The four warriors arrived in the middle of a barren desert landscape. In the distance they could see buildings, but it wouldn’t take too much time to get into the town. Since it was the only signs of civilization in the area, that’s where the two brothers had to be. The sun, barely up on the horizon, cast an odd glow of light and shadow on the little town.

“Well, we’ve got a bit of a walk ahead of us and we don’t have any time to waste. Let’s get moving.” Fandral said as they took off towards the town.

They strode into town as the sun climbed higher. It was still morning and they had work to do. Although the town wasn’t big, there was a possibility that no one had seen their comrades. Walking down the main street, many of the inhabitants stared at them. Among them were the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents on the roof of a nearby building. The agents chuckled watching the quartet began to talk to the people in the town.

_Base to Team 2, we’ve got activity outside the town. Stay on your target and if you see Stark, try to get him to return to base._

The two agents looked at each other as the outsiders walked right past Stark’s SUV. Nothing stirred from the inside.

“Is there a Renaissance Fair in town?” One of the agents asked.

“Call it in.” The other responded.

“Yeah.” The agent brought he hand held up to talk. “Base, we’ve got Xena, Jackie Chan, and Robin Hood.”

It sounded utterly ridiculous, but then again, the sight in front of them was equally strange. The agents got nothing on the other end, so they’d just sit back and wait for instructions.

 

~~~~~

The morning found Thor and Jane still up on the roof. Thor had dozed off and on during the night, but in the long run, he hadn’t gotten a great deal of sleep. Most of his time spent awake was watching Jane or keeping the fire going until he had let it die down as the first rays of light began to streak across the horizon.

As the sun rose higher, the light eventually woke Jane up. She looked a little confused as to why she was up on the roof that morning, but once she caught sight of Thor the rest of the night came back to her. Slowly she smiled and Thor gave her a tentative smile back.

“You stayed up here all night.” Her voice was still a little sleep rough, but she sounded pleased to see him.

“I do not have anywhere else to go, but I’m truly grateful that you have opened up your home and your lab to me and to my brother. I do not think we would have made it this far on our journey if we hadn’t met you.”

She giggled, glancing away embarrassed. Slowly, she sat up and stretched, letting the sleeping bag slide down. Jane took a moment to untangle herself from the fabric bag before rolling it up and dropping it back on the lounge chair. Thor followed her example with his own sleeping bag as he watched her walk to the edge of the roof to look out over the town. He began to walk towards her, unsure of what he should be doing when she spun around.

“Do you want to help me make breakfast?”

He didn’t really know what to do, but he was a warrior of Asgard. It shouldn’t be too terribly hard for him to learn how to do it. Especially since it didn’t look like he would get his powers back anytime soon. “Of course, though you may have to show me what you want me to do. I do not have any experience with cooking.”

“Well, if whatever you and Loki have told me is true, I guess I shouldn’t expect too much from you.” She huffed a little, but after a moment she laughed showing Thor she was teasing him. “Let’s go wash up. I’ll cook and show you how it’s done.”

“All right.” Thor nodded and he followed her down the stairs.

By the time Darcy and Erik had joined them, breakfast was almost finished. Erik looked a little worn down, his clothes crumpled and hair sticking up at odd ends. Thor poured them both orange juice before bringing Erik some coffee and the small bottle Jane handed to him.

Erik took one look at the bottle, popping it open and pouring two little brown pills from the container into his hand. He took a sip of the orange juice before popping the pills into his mouth and taking another sip to swallow them down. He had way too much to drink the night before and made a strong mental note not to not try and drink with those two ever again. They obviously could drink him into the ground.

Darcy smirked looking between the screen of her cell and the two people behind her. She thought they were too cute together as she saw Thor holding the plates as Jane placed eggs on each one. Jane smiled up at Thor and he smiled back before bringing the plates over to the duo sitting at the table.

The only thing that could have made this morning more perfect in her eyes was if Loki came through the door. She was a little concerned that he wasn’t in the building this morning. Most likely, he probably stayed out all night. Though she was worried, she knew Loki was a big tough guy. He could take care of himself.

As Thor placed the plates down in front of her and Erik, she smiled up at him. “Thank you.”

“Thank you.” Erik copied, still sounding a bit worse for wear.

“You’re very welcome.” Thor spoke in a humble tone before heading back over to Jane.

Breakfast was a fairly peaceful and quiet affair. Thor had offered to wash the dishes after Jane showed him how to do it, leaving her to explain everything she had learned that night to Erik and Darcy. There were some truly amazing things and she really believed Thor came from this other realm, Asgard.

“It’s a beautiful theory, Jane.” Erik agreed when she finished, though she sensed he was about to give her some negative feedback as well. “But you won’t be able to convince the scientific community of any of it. Not without hard evidence.”

He was about to say more when the sound of banging on the glass caught their attention. Thor turned to see his friends standing right up against the glass door, beaming at him.

“Found you!” Volstagg shouted, pleased by their efforts. Thor gaped for a moment, wondering if this was an illusion of some sorts, but the sound of crashing ceramic told him that the others saw his friends too.

Erik, Darcy, and Jane looked on in shock. The crashing sound was Erik’s and Darcy’s mugs dropping from their hands and shattering against the concrete floors. They looked on as the four armored beings yanked open the doors and stepped in, all laughing as the converged on Thor.

“My friends.” Thor greeted loudly, stepping forward to embrace them. He patted Volstagg’s shoulders, gripping them firmly. “This is good! This is good.”

“I don’t believe it.” Erik murmured in the background, only really heard by Jane and Darcy who were in the same boat. The largest of Thor’s friends noticed and stepped forward as Thor continued to embrace his other friends.

“Oh, excuse me. Lady Sif and the Warriors Three.” Vostagg introduced them, though it did no good as the Midgardian trio didn’t know anything about these people. Erik and Jane shared a look before the smile slowly creeped back across Jane’s face.

“My friends.” Thor spoke, regaining their attentions. “I’ve never been happier to see anyone, but you should not have come.”

Their faces fell a little bit, but of course, Thor didn’t know why they were there.

“We’re here to take you home.” Fandral explained. “You and Loki.”

“You know we can’t go home. Father has banished us. I no longer have my power and Loki….” Thor hesitated, unsure if it was his place to admit the truth about his brother.

“We already know about Loki. Your mother told us the story.” Hogun explained.

“Thor, Asgard is in great danger.” Sif added.

~~~~~

Laufey was frustrated. After hours of searching, his men hadn’t been able to find any signs of Odin. He had some suspicions that magic was involved in hiding the Allfather, but he couldn’t be sure. He sent the men out for a second sweep, he had a few other interrogate the palace servants. Their interrogations did nothing to help their search for Odin, but Laufey now knew where the weapons vault was and he also knew what happened to both Odinsons.

It appeared that the Allfather banished both of his sons to Midgard for their actions. That news turned out to be fortunate for them, but now that they’d invaded, he was positive someone would be foolish enough to try and recall them to their home realm. They would return, even though they had been banished, only because their homeland was being threatened.

He needed to come up with a way to keep them from returning. The elder Odinson was very formidable and would be an asset in rallying Odin’s guards into combat. As it was, most of the guards had been ordered to retreat or to protect areas of great value. Nothing about the situation sat well with the Jotun king.

To try and boost his own morale, he headed towards the weapons vault where the Casket was being held. It had been too long since he had the source of power within his grasp. Not only would it increase his strength, but it would also give strength to their people and to their realm to have it back. Laufey walked down the golden steps to the long hallway of artifacts in the vault.

On a pedestal at the very end of the room, the Casket gave off a distinct bluish light as if creating a beacon to call its masters to it. Laufey ignored the other artifacts as he walked the corridor to stand in front of his prize. He reached out, placing a hand on the power source. It hummed at his touch and he felt the power connecting with his Jotun blood, bring life back into his body.

This was what he’d been fighting for. He now had a way to preserve his people, his realm, and his own power in the Nine Realms. If only there was a way to keep that coward and his miserable warmongering sons from taking this victory away from them. Laufey knew his people were still weak and this would revitalize them, but would that be enough.

He heard the sound of shifting rock, creaking metal. Looking up, he watched as the large metal man came forward. Laufey took hold of the Casket, stepping back a few steps to better position himself to fight. However, the metal figure stopped, standing in front of him. It did not move nor did it attack, but instead remained still as though it waited for instructions from its controller.

Laufey still had Odin’s spear in his hand. He glanced down at it, a small smirk crossing his features. The metal figure looked at the spear and Laufey knew that this was one of Odin’s greatest weapons. He’d heard of the Destroyer before and he also knew that this was the weapon to destroy the men he’d sent into Asgard a few days before. It seemed than now that he possessed Odin’s spear and his throne, he may be able to possess the power of this weapon as well.

“If I now command you, I have a task for you. Go to Midgard, find the Odinsons and destroy them both. Destroy everything, leave nothing and no one behind. Prepare a new home for my people.”

The Destroyer could not verbally answer him, but after only a moment, it began to move. Laufey watched it make its way up the stairs and out of sight. He exhaled in relief and felt a surge of triumph as it went off to do as commanded. Both of the heirs would die tonight and the victory of his people would become more of a reality.

~~~~~

Coulson and his team arrived at their location and were greeted by a symbol etched into the sand. It was a strange circle with a pattern that almost looked like a labyrinth scorched into the sand. Coulson knelt down to get a better look at the circle, trying to make sense of what it could be.

There was a rippling sound of thunder from overhead. Several agents, including Coulson, turned to look up to see the dark swirling clouds above them. That didn’t bode well for them at all. The wind picked up, kicking up the sand around them as their clothes ripples with movement. Coulson ordered the agents to move back behind the vehicles. He had an ugly feeling in his gut.

~~~~~

Steve had reached the town in record time, speeding almost the entire way from the compound. He stepped out, going to the back to grab his shield and his basic body armor. The sky began to darken above him, the wind picking up. He glanced up, noticing the dark clouds that hadn’t existed before. Turning back towards the compound and saw the swirling clouds. He shivered in the cold air, suddenly regretting not bringing a radio with him. As he slammed the hatch shut on the back of the SUV, he mentally reminded himself that Coulson was fine. Told himself the man was safe at the compound and not over where the swirling clouds lingered, but his gut was screaming otherwise. Right now, he needed to find Tony and he needed to hind him quickly before his ugly feeling turned into something more concrete.

~~~~~

At the echoing of thunder Thor and his friends, both old and new, went to the door to look out over the town. The Asgardians watched in horror at the sight of the swirling clouds. This was not the swirling of the Bifrost, but a slower, more potent pathway. Something was coming for them and it wasn’t going to be pleasant.

The inhabitants of the town watched with them as the funnel descended quickly, hitting the ground and sending a wave of dust flying from the center.

“Was somebody else coming?” Darcy asked out loud, trying to get the attention of the stoic warriors.

~~~~~

The agents looked up to see a tall metal man standing in the middle of the scorch circle. Several agents had their guns drawn as Coulson and Sitwell stood up to get a better look at the creature. It was tall, every bit of eight or nine feet. It looked like plates held the thing together with rivets and spikes sticking out. The metal man had eye slits, no mouth. It was unlike anything they had ever seen before.

“Is that one of Stark’s?” Sitwell asked, wondering if Coulson knew. It didn’t look like an Iron Man suit, but then again, who knew what Tony had been working on lately.

“I don’t know. The guy never tells me anything.” Coulson said, picking up the megaphone and bringing it up to amplify his voice. “Hello. You are using unregistered weapons technology. Identify yourself.”

The creature just kept coming towards them. There was a loud growling sound echoing from within the man followed by the sound of shifting metal. This wasn’t good.

“Here we go.” Coulson said watching as the eyes slits opened up and the machine glowed like fire from the inside. Coulson cringed and took a step back before calling out to the other agents. “Incoming!”

And that’s when the creature attacked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter done. Now we're starting to get somewhere. I had fun trying to write this chapter. I've had some of this planned out since I started this story and now it's getting to a point where I can get these ideas down. Next chapter is going to be even better. Prepare for the action. I'll see you guys next Sunday and I hope you enjoy! For those celebrating Thanksgiving, I hope it's a great one!
> 
> Please let me know how I'm doing. Leave me comments and kudos. Thanks!
> 
> Check out the cover for this story by the amazing RiceChex: http://ricechex.tumblr.com/post/123895491365
> 
> Follow me on Social Media:  
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> Check out my other stories by the links below or on my profile!
> 
> Hydra Verse Series  
> The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go: (Chapter 9 Posted - 08/04/2015): http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag the interview of the century. The chance to ask Captain America about his past and what exactly made him the man he is today.
> 
> Interlude Party: (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014): http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829  
> One-shot stories in the realm of the Hydra Verse that don't fit in the regular stories of the series. (Descriptions in each chapter)
> 
> Other Stories  
> Do I Look Worried To You? (One Shot - 07/23/15): http://archiveofourown.org/works/4402937  
> Steve Rogers has been searching for his best friend for a long time, so when he gets that phone call, he can't resist going. What he finds, isn't what he expects.


	56. Glorious Battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Destroyer terrorizes the people of the town, while new acquaintances become allies to stop the destruction.

The metal man fired out at the cars. The cars launched into the air before crashing back down in a fiery heap of bent metal, shattered glass, and smelled terribly of burning rubber and gasoline. Coulson and his men scattered, running and taking cover in the sandy dunes or behind the cars that weren’t in flames. The creature had only destroyed three before its attention had shifted, turning it towards the direction that would lead it into town.

“It’s moving away, sir. Civilians might be in danger. What do you want us to do?” Sitwell asked, crouching down next to Coulson.

“We need to get a warning to Stark and Rogers. Call out on radios and try their cells. They may be the only line of defense to start evacuation. We need to move, try and get ahead of that thing in case we can’t reach anyone. We’ll try and figure out a plan on the way.”

The agents scrambled, squishing into the remaining vehicles on site. Coulson climbed into the passenger’s side of one car while Sitwell climbed into the driver’s side.

“Rogers was right.” Coulson murmured, making a mental note that he would never doubt the man’s gut again.

“Right about what?” Sitwell asked.

“Right about something bad happening today and it’s just getting started.”

Sitwell shook his head. “You really shouldn’t think that way, Phil.”

Coulson ignored the man’s words and stared ahead. He pulled out his cell phone and scrolled to find Stark’s number. He would do everything in his power to keep the people here safe. He just had to believe that everything he had would be enough.

~~~~~

The insistent ringing tone was what woke Loki up from his sleep. Eyes opened, blinking as he moved to sit up. He groaned as his stiff muscles protested the position he’d slept in last night. It took a moment for him to figure out where he was, but the moment his eyes landed on Stark’s sleeping face brought the previous night back to him.

It was obviously morning still, but not too early. The inside of the vehicle was warm, but not unpleasant to his Jotun heritage. Stark had parked the vehicle in the shadow of a building and that kept the sun from heating it up too quickly. Unfortunately, if he stepped out, he may run into the same problem as before where the sunlight and heat would get to him. Sighing heavily, he’d have to ask the mortal to drop him back off at the lab a few blocks away.

The tone rang out again in the silence and Loki saw a small rectangular box light up. On the screen, the words Agent Agent appeared, dark against the lit background. Loki glanced from the little box to the man still sleeping beside him and back to the box. He debated on whether or not he should wake up Stark and tell him about the device, but a rumbling in the distance caught his attention. The box stopped ringing and didn’t ring again after that fact.

He glanced out the tinted windows, unable to see anything out of the ordinary. There must have been a storm coming their way even though the skies looked blue. For a moment, he thought about Thor, but without the man having his powers, this being his doing was highly unlikely. There was a loud boom in the distance and Tony abruptly woke, sitting up, trying to shake off the sleep.

“What was that?” Tony asked, the words running together that it took a moment for Loki to decipher the question.

“I do not know. Whatever it is, it does not sound good. If you are up to moving this vehicle, it might be prudent to return me to Dr. Foster’s lab and then you should return to your S.H.I.E.L.D.”

“Not my S.H.I.E.L.D.” Tony groaned out loud, before he cursed. “Damn it, I drank too much.”

“You Midgardians are such fragile beings. A few drinks and you wake up useless and unable to do the simplest of tasks.” Loki sounded a little annoyed, but as he still didn’t see anything that looked like trouble, he let Tony’s lack of response go.

“How are you not hung over?” Tony groaned out loud, reaching up front for his sunglasses. “And for the record, I’m a seasoned drinker. We just happened to drink my whole bottle of scotch last night and no matter how good it was going down, we should both be feeling like crap this morning.”

He slid the sunglasses over his eyes. The dark tint helped with the bright sunlight. He took a mental inventory of his body’s aches and pains. He had a headache and his stomach rolled, but not enough that he felt like he was going to hurl. His body felt a little sore from sleeping in the back of the SUV, but all things considered he’d be all right. He’d survived worse things than a hangover and he’d been hung over worse than this, though that was back in his college days.

“I have a higher tolerance of alcohol than you do. It would take much more than what we drank last night for me to be in the same state as you.”

Tony shook his head slowly before he dragged himself to sit up fully. He was still very nauseous, but he knew it would pass. “We drank like the whole bottle between the two of us.”

Loki didn’t respond to that one. He just continued to look out the window, the feeling that something wasn’t quite right lingering in the back of his mind.

“What’s up with you?” Tony asked confused by Loki’s behavior.

“Something is not right here. We need to go. Can you move this to Jane Foster’s lab at least?”

“You’re asking the hung over guy to drive a motor vehicle?”

“I do not know the mechanics of this vehicle, otherwise I would have just done so myself.”

Tony smirked. “So there is something you can’t do. I wondered. I…uh…I guess I can get us to the lab. It’s only like right around the corner, so I can make it.”

Tony tried to sit up a little bit more, but a bit of vertigo set in and he slumped back down. “Okay, give me five minutes or so. I’m feeling a little dizzy.”

Loki took a deep breath, the feeling not leaving him and steadily getting worse. He could try and make it back on his own, but he wasn’t positive he could make it. Besides that, he couldn’t bring himself to leave Stark behind. He’d grown a little fond of the mortal and it would be better if they stayed together. They were just going to have to wait until Stark could get himself together, though he wondered if this new found sentiment would come back to haunt him in the long run.

~~~~~

“Phil, slow down. I can’t make out what you’re saying.”

“You need to get as many people as you can out of there and get out of town yourself. There’s something heading your way and it’s not pretty, Steve.”

“What do you mean? What’s coming?” Steve glanced around the street. He didn’t like the sound of this, and he hadn’t been able to spot the SUV Tony took into town. He’d had a bad feeling all morning and Coulson calling him to tell him something was going on just proved his gut right again. He hated when his bad feelings came true.

“I don’t know how to explain it. It’s some sort of tall bulky metal man. It looks like it’s made up of long thin plates and has eye slits that open up to expel some sort of blast. It blew up two of our cars on sight.”

Steve cursed. “Was anyone hurt?”

“No. We’re heading to your vicinity to help out with evacuation, but that thing has a head start and is moving quickly. I don’t know if what we have on hand will be enough to stop it.”

Steve was already heading towards the nearest establishment. “All right, get here as fast as you can. I’ll do what I can, try to slow it down if I have to.”

“Just don’t die out there, Steve.”

“Not planning on it.” It was all Steve could promise. He’d give up his life if it meant giving others a chance, but that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t fight for his own life if he could. He hung up the phone without another word before running into the shop he was closest to.

He stepped inside, glancing around at the shoppers in the racks. He needed to get these people out of here and he didn’t have a clue where to begin. Might as well go with a direct approach. He hopped up onto one of the tables nearby and whistled to get everyone’s attention.

“There’s a threat heading this way. I need you all to drop what you’re doing and begin to evacuate this building. You have a few minutes to find your families, so if you need to do it then do it, but you need to do it quickly.”

~~~~~

By now Thor and his friends knew what was coming. He recognized the Destroyer even at this distance. His father wouldn’t have sent it and although he didn’t know any of the details, he knew that what Sif had just told him was true. Asgard was in danger and it was his duty to do what he could for these people.

“Jane, you have to leave.” Thor told her, knowing she was in danger.

“What are you gonna do?” She asked, not liking that he was ordering her to leave and not saying he was going to come with them.

“I’m staying here.” He said. He couldn’t do much, but he had to do something.

“Thor’s going to fight with us!” Vostagg spoke up, sounding excited by the prospect of working as a team to defeat what was coming.

Thor shook his head as he stepped towards them. “My friends, I’m just a man. I’ll only be in the way, or worse, get one of you killed. But I can help get these people to safety.”

“Well, if you’re staying, then so am I.” Jane cut in. Thor glanced at her and nodded, knowing he wasn’t going to persuade her otherwise.

“What about Loki?” Darcy asked. “He never came back last night.”

“I doubt he went too far and I know he didn’t run away. Something happened, but we do not have time to look for him.” Thor turned back to his friends. “We’ll need some time.”

“You’ll have it!” Fandral called as they split up. The warriors had a few minutes to prepare for combat while the mortals and Thor took off for the restaurants and shops.

Darcy stopped and glanced around. She was a little nervous, but nobody was taking care of the people walking on the street. She took a deep breath before she shouted out to them. “Okay, move it, people!”

Erik ran into the café. He didn’t waste any time. “Everybody out! Use the back door. Go, hurry! You can eat later.”

The people scrambled leaving their plates as they stood, exiting booths and chairs to head to the back door. Thor and Jane moved to help people get to vehicles. They picked up small children and handed them to their parents as people piled into the back of pickup trucks. There was a crunching, booming sound that echoed throughout the town and Thor knew they were out of time.

~~~~~

Steve stepped out of the last building he could make it to before a beam of light came towards him. He barely dived out of the way as the building behind him exploded, the blast sending him flying into the street. He rolled, trying to get away from the creature, but at the sound of someone screaming in fear, he couldn’t afford to get away.

He scrambled trying to get to his feet only to dive again as another beam shot out, hitting the red pickup behind him. When he lifted his head, he got his first look of the metal man. The creature was just as Coulson described, except Coulson didn’t tell him about the glowing. Steve grabbed his shield off his back and took a deep breath as he could see the civilians scramble to get out of the way.

“Go, get out of here!” He shouted as he started to run towards the creature. It definitely noticed him as it glowed brighter. Steve brought his shield up just in time to get blown backwards by the force, slamming through a window in a nearby building.

The force of the blast bouncing off the vibranium affected the creature as well. Its head turned up, firing into the sky above, and it stepped back, struggling to find its balance. Once it got its footing back, it started to glow again, reading itself for another attack.

The SUV swung around the corner, slamming into the creature. The force did nothing to damage the metal man, but it was enough to force it into the wall of the closest building. Tony cursed out loud, the airbag deployed in his face.

“Stark, we need to move before the Destroyer can recover.”

“It didn’t even dent the damn thing!” Tony yelled back, trying to find the door handle in the mess.

Loki was already opening the back door of the vehicle. He yanked Tony’s door open and dragged the man out from behind the fabric and air cushion. The reckless duo started running, heading for an alley only to be blown by the force of the Destroyer taking out the SUV they’d just been in. Tony yelped in pain as he hit the dirt road hard. Loki managed to roll, pushing himself to his feet as the momentum slid him back. He took a deep breath, trying to block out his discomfort of being out in the hot sun.

Behind the Destroyer, he caught a glimpse of Thor’s friends striding towards them, weapons in hand. They seemed eager for battle, confident in their success. Thor and the mortals weren’t anywhere nearby, a good thing in Loki’s opinion. The last thing they needed was any more recklessness. He didn’t have time to worry about what they thought about his appearance as they were all in mortal peril.

Sif and the Warriors Three saw Loki and the mortal with him, who was trying to get back up to his feet. The man was foolishly brave and obviously injured. He would be no help to them.

Another mortal staggered out of a shop window, He was bleeding from the glass, his clothing singed from fire and dirty from the dust and debris. His eyes looked fierce, a round metal shield in his hand. It was obvious that he was a seasoned warrior of this realm. They could use him in this fight.

“Keep it distracted and get to Loki.” Sif smirked at the challenge in front of her before she ordered them to react. She took off to a nearby building needing to get somewhere high to do what she had planned. The Destroyer didn’t waste any time as it turned to blow up a gas station and convenience store. The explosion was larger than the ones the Destroyer produced on its own and the creature was engulfed by the flames of its own destruction.

The fighters watched as the creature walked through the flames, heading towards the Asgardian warriors. The flames cut the creature off from Loki and the mortals, but despite that, Loki began to move, running towards the Destroyer. The heat coming off the flames caused his skin to prickle uncomfortably. There was another small explosion and the flames leapt up causing Loki to jump back, bring his arms up to protect himself from the heat. He started to feel a little bit woozy and stumbled as he watched the scene on the other side of the flames.

Fandral and Hogun took a position off to the side. Fandral waved to Volstagg further back. The largest of the three warriors started to run. The smaller warriors launched him up into the air towards the beast.

“For Asgard!” The warrior bellowed as he flew through the air, only to be smacked away by the Destroyer. The warrior flew back, landing in the back window of a flaming car.

Thor and his mortal companions came running. Jane, Darcy, and Erik ducked behind the building while Thor looked around a telephone pole. Volstagg tried to free himself from where he was wedged between metal, but he couldn’t get out as the Destroyer walked right up to him. The proud warrior glared up at the machine in defiance when he caught a glimmer of metal in the sun.

Sif leaped off of the roof of the closest building, slamming her spear through the neck of the creature, just as it was charging its attack. The force of the blow forced the Destroyer to bow down enough that the tip of the spear hit the ground below. The light from within dimmed as it powered down. Volstagg breathed out a sigh of relief as Sif glanced down at him, smug in her triumph.

Then the creature began to move, the inside set aflame again. The metal plates twisted and turned, rearranging themselves in a new pattern as the Destroyer turned around to face Sif. The warriors ran towards her, but she had to leap off of the creature as it fired at her. She braced herself for impact with the ground, but was instead caught by the blond mortal warrior they had encountered earlier. He didn’t waste any time as he sprinted away, heading towards the lab as the enemy stood upright, freeing itself from the spear.

“Fall back.” Sif shouted at her comrades trying to get them out of the line of fire. They needed a new plan. She looked up at the other warrior. “Put me down, I can handle myself.”

He glanced at her. “I will as soon as we’re clear.”

She opened her mouth to argue back, but they could all hear the charging of another attack. The blast was intense, cleaving cars, telephone poles, and buildings in two. The force of the blast rocked them all sending Sif and Steve forward, rolling on the ground as sparks and debris rained down on them before they both scrambled to their feet.

Volstagg, Hogun, and Fandral rushed to their aid only to be blown back by another blast. Sif and Steve sailed over the nearest vehicle while the three warriors sailed through a window and into chairs and tables of the vacant restaurant. They fought to get to their feet to go after the monster they faced, but it was a struggle.

Thor watched in horror as his friends were being tossed around as though they were dolls. He knew that his father had commissioned the Destroyer to be a powerful tool against their enemies, but now that it was being used against them, they could see just how dangerous and terrible it could be.

“Go. Now. Run!” Thor told his mortal friends. They needed to get inside and get into their vehicle to get out of here. He would guard their retreat and try to get his friends to follow. He could see the blond man from the compound in the desert. As the flames on the gas station started to go down, he could see a dark haired mortal helping his brother to his feet. There wasn’t any way they could win this.

Volstagg managed to stand up just in time to see the Destroyer turn to look his way. He gaped as it shot a quick blast, blowing out the windows in the building they were in and setting the inside ablaze. It was hot, but the force sent him and the other warriors out of the building and away from the rising flames. They were really getting tired of this, but there was nothing they could do.

Glass came flying towards the mortals. The woman cried out as Erik and Thor moved to shield them from the flying debris. Sif and the mortal man recovered enough to take a position, crouching behind a car.

“What is that thing?” Steve asked, trying to get a handle on the situation.

“We do not have time for questions. We need to stop the Destroyer from doing any more harm.” She answered.

“And how do you propose we do that?” Steve asked as he peeked over the side of the car to see it approach where they hid. It didn’t see him as it ducked back down. There was too much smoke in the air and Steve could only see a faint outline himself in the darkness.

She didn’t have the answer. None of them had an answer. They had no knowledge of any weaknesses the Destroyer had and the only one who would know was in a healing sleep back on their home realm. The Asgardians were beginning to give up any hope of surviving this.

There was a loud crackling sound…the shifting and groaning of metal. What they did not hear was the sound of marching footprints as Sif and Steve risked peeking around the car. Fandral and Hogun were back on their feet, helping Vostagg stand. Thor and those he was protecting turned around and the all watched, shocked by what they saw.

Loki managed to recover from his woozy spell and made it through the flames with Stark’s help. The man was still hung over and probably had a cracked rib, but he had gotten up and gone to Loki’s side. They managed to make it through the flames to reach the Destroyer, but that wasn’t what everyone was stunned about.

Loki had his hand outstretched towards the Destroyer almost touching the metal creature. Ice had begun to form at the Destroyer’s feet and was rapidly climbing up the creature’s body to cover it entirely. The creature went completely dark and still inside the ice prison, but it was hard to tell if it would recover from whatever Loki was doing.

“All of you move. I doubt that this is finished and I do not know how long I can hold it once it recovers. Move!” Loki ordered from where he stood. Tony stood, frozen to the spot as he watched the man he’d spent the night with just do something impossible. He gaped a bit when red eyes narrowed and he growled. “Stark, go to your friend. Help him get the others out of here!”

“I’m not leaving you behind. I want an explanation for all of this.”

“Go, I will be right behind you once you get clear. I will explain everything at that time. There is no time for it now.”

Tony swallowed hard and nodded, finally taking off. He had to hold onto to his ribs as he made his way to Steve. The man met Tony and helped the man get to safety. As they ran, Loki turned his attention back to the Destroyer as it began to glow again. The ice began to melt from the heat and Loki’s hands trembled trying to keep the machine at bay.

Sif refused to move from her spot behind the car. She could see that Loki wasn’t going to be able to hold it much longer and she would be ready when it broke free. Thor saw that she was the only warrior not retreating from the combat and took off running down the road. He went straight to her, crouching down and gripping her arms.

“Sif. Sif, you’ve done all you can.”

“No. I will die a warrior’s death.” She shook her head, refusing to back down. She fought for this, and would die with what she was due. “Stories will be told of this day.”

Thor cupped her face. “Live, and tell those stories yourself.”

Sif shook her head in denial. She didn’t want to back down, but because Thor asked it of her, she would retreat for his sake.

“Now go.” Thor ordered and she took off towards the others.

She managed to make it a couple of feet before the Destroyer fired through the ice. Thor saw it coming and jumped out of the way managing to dive into the street as another car became a casualty in the battle. The blast managed to send the vehicle flying into the nearest building, missing Sif and the others fleeing from the battle. The Destroyer managed to break free from the ice and swung at Loki, who ducked just in time. Loki ran past the creature as it tried to pull its legs free and ran towards his brother, helping Thor to his feet.

“There’s no way to stop it. We have no choice but to get away and come up with a better strategy.” Loki told him as the Destroyer freed one leg.

“I will not leave these people to die when we are the reason that the Destroyer is here. I will distract it, lead it way so that everyone else can escape.”

“Thor!” Loki warned low. This was madness. Thor could not defeat the Destroyer as he was. He would die, sacrificing himself in this meaningless battle.

“Go and help the others. If you can, help them return to Asgard. Sif told me that it is in trouble. You have to help our people. I know you can do it.” Thor gripped his shoulder, squeezing lightly. He managed a small smile as he caught Loki’s gaze. They only had a moment before the Destroyer would attack again and there was one last thing he needed to say to Loki. “I believe in your strength, brother. I was a fool to disregard it before. Do this one last thing I ask of you, be the prince you’ve always longed to be and help our people. And before you deny it, you will always be my brother and you will always be a Prince of Asgard regardless of your Jotun heritage. Stand proud, brother, and fight on.”

Thor bent down and recovered Sif’s discarded shield, before he stood back up and watched the Destroyer free itself. Loki couldn’t move, couldn’t speak as he watched the man he was raised with…this man who no longer had his powers or God-like strength face an enemy that he could not win against. Thor was no stronger than a mortal man, but in Loki’s eyes, he never looked more like a true, regal Prince of Asgard than this exact moment.

“What about you?” Loki finally managed to get out, causing Thor to turn and look at him.

“Do not worry. I have a plan.”

Loki seriously doubted it, but by this point, he no longer had words. Thor started to walk forward towards the Destroyer. He risked a glance back to see all of his friends and allies gather together. Loki was still closer to him and that was a comfort for Thor. Although he sincerely wanted Loki to return to Asgard and help how he could, he knew his brother would defend the others as they retreated. He waited for his brother to turn to look back at the others before he looked down at the shield in his hand before tossing it aside.

“Wait! What’s he doing?” Jane called out. Thor could hear her, but he couldn’t bring himself to turn around again. He’d made his peace with leaving all of this behind. If he turned around, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to do this.

He’d already accepted he was going to die in this realm. This was not some grand battle or a warrior’s fight, but there was still honor in defending good people, people that you cared about. At least he knew that by doing this his friends would have a chance. The Destroyer and he walked towards each other, neither attacking each other. The destroyer probably didn’t deem him worthy to fire a blast at, or it was recovering from Loki’s ice attack. He didn’t know where the words came up from, or who he was talking to, he just knew he needed to say them regardless of whether someone heard him or not.

“I do not know who you are, why you’ve sent the Destroyer to this planet, but these people are good people. They work hard and are innocent of any offence against you. Taking their lives will gain you nothing." As he reached the Destroyer, he could see the creature heat up, preparing to fire at him. At this range, he was sure to die. “So take my life and let us end this.”

~~~~~

Laufey sat on Odin’s throne. He could see and hear everything the Destroyer had done. Right now, as he listened to the Odinson’s words, he was disgusted. Such a weak and cowardly man, just like his father….sprouting nonsense about innocence and peace. If the man wanted to face death like this, then Laufey would administer the finishing blow, but he wouldn’t use the creature’s full power. Ordering the creature to kill the Odinson, he then ordered it to return to Asgard to better protect their assets in case the Allfather made a return.

He was equally disgusted to see the adult Jotun on the same realm as the Odinson. This was most likely his own child, grown up to be the Odinson’s pet. The Jotun was working with that reckless fool. That meant he was a traitor to his own people and although he deserved death, Laufey was certain that this weak excuse of a Frost Giant would die in the desert wasteland. He would be unable to survive in the dry heat for long.

~~~~~

Thor watched as the mask slid back into place on the Destroyer’s face. The fire faded and for a brief moment, he wondered if whoever had sent the machine had heard him, changed their mind at his word. The creature started to turn away before it swung one of its arms, catching Thor by surprise. The man groaned as he was sent flying backwards towards his friends. Thor hit the ground hard, sliding a few feet before laying there, still as if he was dead.

“No!” Jane shouted as she started to run. Steve caught her before she could make it very far. “Let me go! I have to go to him.”

“It’s too dangerous.” Steve countered. He could already see Loki running towards his brother. The Destroyer was already turning back, heading away from them and back to where it had come into this realm.

Loki slid down next to Thor. The man’s eyes were open and frantically looked around. It was clear that he was in pain, that he was so badly injured and bleeding that without any medical attention, he could potentially die of these wounds.

“Thor. Thor!” Loki called his name. “Look at me.”

Thor’s eyes found his and focused on Loki’s face. Despite the pain he was in, he tried to manage a smile, but then he gasped for his breath.

“Hold on. We will get you back to Asgard. I can make you a healing portion and you will be all right.”

Thor shook his head slowly. He knew that without his power, he was done for. He wouldn’t make the journey to Asgard. He knew Loki knew that too.

Loki clenched his fist. He knew that there wasn’t any hope, but he couldn’t sit back and do nothing at all. He had to try. Before he could try and move Thor, get him away from there, the man reached up and gripped his shirt. He shook his head again before pushing at Loki’s chest, trying to get him to go, to get away.

“Fine. I will go. I will return to Asgard like you wanted me to.” Loki swore, trying to keep his composure. “I will figure out a way to save them. Your death will not be in vain…my brother.”

That earned a small smile from Thor. Loki had finally re-acknowledged Thor as his brother and it brought some semblance of peace to Thor. Thor let go of Loki, closing his eyes and resting against the ground, knowing that he could leave everything in the Jotun’s hands.

Loki closed his eyes and heard the others approach. Now that the Destroyer was walking away there was no longer a need for them to stay back. Jane knelt down next to Thor, taking his hand in hers. They were already morning the loss, even though Thor had not passed from this life.

Rage filled Loki. This was so stupid. Thor was still a fool, but he was the only brother that Loki had ever known and in his final acts, he had brought some peace to Loki even though Loki should have been doing that for him. The Jotun prince got to his feet, turning to look at the back of the Destroyer, eyes murderous.

“You think that you can just walk away…to get away with killing my brother and survive.” Loki hissed, his hands tingling with magic as it responded to his emotions. Loki normally kept his emotions in check, so it was a rare sight, so rare that the Asgardian warriors had never seen it before. Thor managed to open his eyes again, looking at Loki with a small shocked expression as he gasped for another breath. “It no longer matters what my heritage is. It does not matter what purpose Odin had for me. I was raised as a Prince of Asgard. I will not allow this to stand.”

He started to take a step forward when a sound echoed throughout the town. Clouds gathered, the crackling of thunder crashed overhead. Loki paused to look up when he heard a sharp inhale from behind him. He turned, to see Darcy with a hand over her mouth pointing at him. He looked down to see the dark blue of his Jotun skin slowly fade, giving way to the pale skin he was more familiar with. His glamour was back…but that meant…

“Everyone, head to the lab.” He ordered. “This battle is not done.”

“I won’t leave him.” Jane said firmly.

“Do not fret. Thor will be fine now. Go! Someone, get her out of here.”

“Jane!” Erik said as he pulled her to her feet and back towards the house.

“No!” Jane shouted, trying to pull away. Steve moved over to help drag her back. He could tell something big was about to happen, but he wasn’t sure exactly what was coming.

Tony and Darcy watched Loki, noticing him looking up at the sky. They both looked up, following his line of sight until they could see the tiny dot in the sky, flying towards them at a rapid speed. As it got closer, the others noticed it, most of them recognizing the hammer even if they didn’t all know its name or what it could do. As it approached, heading straight for its intended target, Thor found the strength to lift his hand to catch Mjolnir.

The moment the hammer touched his palm, lighting flashed, blinding the spectators. Loki watched as the Destroyer turned, an arrogant smirk on his features as another figure came up to stand next to him. Thor stood there, his armor and mantle and power restored to him. He spun Mjolnir in his hand, glancing over at Loki as the last bit of blue disappeared. Green eyes bore into blue and Thor found his own smile as he stood beside his brother.

“Oh, my God.” Jane spoke out loud. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing in front of her. Even after all that she’d experienced or had been told over the last few days, nothing could have prepared her for this. The others were equally stunned, remaining silent. Thor’s complete recovery in itself was a miracle, but to see him standing there in all his power and glory was something else entirely.

“It seems that I will no longer be needed for this fight.” Loki commented, tilting his head to the side. It felt good to be back in his glamor, to see the familiar pale skin he’d known for so long.

Thor nodded. He was proud of his brother for finally coming to terms and accepting some part of himself. This was a huge step in the right direction. “This will all be over in a moment. I trust you will make sure everyone will stand back.”

“Naturally.” Loki agreed knowing that this was Thor’s fight to face. He needed to end it, and although Loki doubted he would need it, he would be there to back up his brother.

Thor stepped forward, spinning Mjolnir above his head. The clouds began to swirl, lightning lighting up the darkness as Thor leapt up into the air. The Destroyer fired at the Asgardian heir, missing the man as he flew high up and out of range.

The wind picked up and the group, including Loki, moved back to take cover at the lab. It was about this time that the S.H.I.E.L.D. convoy pulled up, having had to go around the town due to the destruction left in the Destroyer’s wake. Coulson and Sitwell stepped out of the car, joining the group watching this as it unfolded.

Thor spun the hammer over his head, creating a tornado like force. Slowly, the destroyer began to rise, flying into the air. It shot another beam and Thor swung Mjolnir, knocking the blast away. He had to end this quickly. He knocked another blast away before getting an idea. He would overwhelm the Destroyer, turning its own power against it.

When it fired again, Thor met it head on, deflecting the power and forcing it down towards its source. The power became too much and there was a flash of light. The destroyer sparked and fell, dropping down to the ground like a dead weight. The dark clouds and wind dissipated and Thor strode forth. A few vehicles fell behind him, the crashing sounds giving off a feeling of finality to the whole situation.

Tony glanced at Steve who was staring. He held up his hands and stepped into Steve’s line of sight. “This time, I didn’t do it.”

Steve chocked on air turning to step away, trying to make sense of everything that just happened. He caught sight of Coulson and Sitwell and walked over to confirm with them that he just saw what he thought he saw. Thor approached Jane and Erik. His brother and friends stood back all smirking at the stunned Midgardians.

“So, is this how you normally look?” Jane asked him as he walked up.

“More or less.” Thor shrugged.

“It’s a good look.” She turned back to glance at Loki.

In the background, Darcy and Tony were getting a good look at Loki. Now that it looked like the worst was over, curiosity won out.

“So, I just saw you turn from blue to normal and you have ice powers.” Tony said casually as if it happened every day.”

“It’s awesome, that’s what it is.” Darcy commented.

Loki couldn’t help but be amused. “You are both taking this much better than I had anticipated. There is much for us to discuss, but unfortunately we have other things to attend to first. Thor and I must return home and make sure that our family is safe. Then I can return and explain it all, to both of you.”

“Okay, I’m going to hold you to that. You did promise you’d tell me everything.” Darcy poked him in the chest as a way of teasing him.

“We are friends now, after all.”

Loki nodded and glanced over at Tony. He was still holding his ribs and probably should see a doctor to fix him up. He looked a bit sheepish and nonchalant at the same time.

“You really aren’t from around here, are you?” Tony asked casually, smirking even though Loki knew he had to be confused.

“No.” Loki shook his head. “I am from a place in your myths and legends, though I assure you that it is real.”

“I’m going to have to look it up then.” Tony managed a smile. “Are you really coming back?”

Loki glanced back at Thor talking to Jane. “I may not be able to come back right away and I do not want to bring peril to your people, but I will return….soon, I hope.”

“Loki.” Thor called. “We must go to the Bifrost site. We need to return and do what we can.”

“Thor, wait.” Sif called out, but she was cut off.

“Excuse me!” Coulson cut in, getting their attentions. He walked forward with Steve right behind him. “Donald? I don’t think you’ve been completely honest with us.”

“Know this, Son of Coul. You, my brother, and I, we fight for the same cause, the protection of this world. From this day forward, you can count me as your ally if you return the items you have taken from Jane.”

“Stolen.” Jane clarified.

“Borrowed.” Coulson re-clarified, watching as Loki and Tony joined them. “Of course you can have your equipment back. You’re gonna need it to continue your research.”

Steve stepped around Coulson to talk to Tony. He raked his eyes over Loki. Without the blue skin and red eyes, he looked normal. “I still don’t approve of the idea of you two hanging out, especially after everything I’ve just seen. We don’t know who he is, Tony…what he is.”

“He is standing right next to you and can hear you quite clearly. As for what I am, you would not believe me if I told you. As for our relationship….well…” Loki turned to Tony. “I will let you fight that battle.”

Tony smirked mischievously. “Oh, goody. You’re going to have to come back now just to find out what happened. Shoo Steve, I wanna say goodbye without you being the world’s biggest kill-joy.”

Steve scowled. “We’re going to talk about this, once he’s gone.”

“And you’ll be ignored for the sake of my sanity. Go away.” Tony made a shooing motion with his hands and Steve went back to the car. It wasn’t done for either of them. Once he was out of earshot, Tony turned back to Loki. “So, what is our relationship?”

Loki tilted his head. “I think it is too early for us to define it. You helped me out of a tough spot and I am grateful for your help, but as much as I hate to admit it, we do not know each other well.”

“And if I said I wanted to get to know you better?”

“It will have to wait until my other task is through.”

Tony managed a wry smile at this. He looked disappointed, but he understood that Loki needed to go. “If you come back and need anything, a place to stay, a job, whatever…come find me. Stark Tower is in New York City. I’ll leave your name with a high priority to contact me if you turn up. I hope you’ll take me up on it.”

“I may take you up on your offer…when I come back, that is.”

“Loki, we need to leave.” Thor called out, interrupting them, and the younger brother sighed. “He never changes.”

“He’s family. You have to put up with family.” Tony shrugged, wincing as the movement shifted his ribs. “Stay safe, Loki. I’ll see you soon.”

“Yes.” Loki agreed, turning away knowing that this was the only way he could walk away.

Thor saw Loki heading towards them and knew he was back on track. Turning his attention back to Jane he nudged her to get her attention. “Would you like to see the bridge we spoke of?”

She looked between Thor and Erik. Erik nodded, smiling for the first time in days. She shrugged, looking back to Thor. “Sure.”

Thor pulled her close and she made a small sound since she was impressed. She was smiling, excited.

“Thor, wait.” Sif called again, but he didn’t listen as he held Mjolnir over his head. He was going to show her how he could fly.

“Wait, I need to debrief you!” Coulson called, but the blond Demigod was already spinning the hammer, launching him and Jane into the air, heading towards the Bifrost site.

“Loki!” Sif called. “We cannot go back at the Bifrost. Heimdall was frozen on sight by the Jotuns. There is no one to open the gateway.”

“Then how did you arrive?” Loki said looking in the direction Thor went.

“Your mother sent us through.” Fandral answered. “She held a secret pathway open to us.”

Loki clenched his jaw. That wasn’t good. His mother had used her power and if the Jotuns could feel it, she was not only vulnerable, but there was a risk that she could be found. “We must go after Thor. If the Jotuns are still searching we will need him to fight.”

“Can you get us home?” Volstagg asked.

“The Queen was confident you could do it.” Hogun added.

“I will do everything in my power to get us back.” He glanced back at Thor’s friends. They were all giving him a knowing look. Some things never changed. “First we have to follow that hot-headed, battle hungry brother of mine and his lady friend.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops! Somehow I got my days mixed up and totally forgot to post this yesterday. I hadn't even edited it, so I had to do that today before I posted. I was so caught up on my NaNoWriMo win and other stuff, that the day got lost to me.
> 
> Speaking of NaNo, I had intended to work on this for November and I did, but then...well something else got into my head and I couldn't let it go, so after this chapter, I have nothing new for you guys. Does this mean that you'll have to wait another month for updates...nope! I'm working on 57 right now and I think I figured out where I want that to go. I am going to say, I'm going to take a week hiatus to catch up on some ZZZZ's and other stuff that got neglected due to a very hectic November, so I am going to try and push myself (not too hard) and I'll have another chapter for you guys on the 13th. Thanks for sticking with me this long and I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Please leave me questions, comments, and kudos. Trying to work on my writing styles here and I'd love to know what you think. (Good or bad, though if it's bad, please be constructive criticism.) Thanks for reading!
> 
> (Would like to point out that my awesome beta got these links finally up and running for me. Major shout out to her for this!)
> 
> Check out [the cover for this story](http://ricechex.tumblr.com/post/123895491365) by the amazing RiceChex
> 
> Follow me on Social Media:  
> [Main Tumblr/Mostly Marvel](http://silvertempest.tumblr.com/)  
> [Writing Tumblr](http://silverciels.tumblr.com/) (I post previews of stuff here. I'm trying to get more active on this.)  
> Instagram (I post previews and statuses. Very active on this. Follow #HydraVerse): [SilverCiels](http://www.instagram.com/silverciels/)  
> Twitter (Not as active on here, but feel free to follow): [@SilverCiels](http://twitter.com/SilverCiels/)
> 
> Check out my other stories by the links below or on my profile!
> 
> Hydra Verse Series  
> [The Tales of Steve & Bucky: Before We Go](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2774009/chapters/6221165) (Chapter 9 Posted - 08/04/2015)  
> Christine Everhart manages to snag the interview of the century. The chance to ask Captain America about his past and what exactly made him the man he is today.
> 
> [Interlude Party](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1910760/chapters/4121829) (Chapter 3 Posted - 12/28/2014)  
> One-shot stories in the realm of the Hydra Verse that don't fit in the regular stories of the series. (Descriptions in each chapter)
> 
> Other Stories  
> [Do I Look Worried To You?](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4402937) (One Shot - 07/23/15)  
> Steve Rogers has been searching for his best friend for a long time, so when he gets that phone call, he can't resist going. What he finds, isn't what he expects.


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